Cyberpunk: Becoming a Legend from Dogtown

Life often requires a pass, especially for those crushed beneath the weight of technology and money.

"Arasaka Academy, 'The Pathway to Elites'."

The AI broadcast echoed from the woman's palm, as two holographic goldfish swam freely across the plaza, almost making it seem like standing here could bring the same kind of freedom.

Gloria Martinez felt proud.

She was grateful that her son had passed Arasaka's rigorous entrance exam. Only she knew the painstaking efforts it had taken to get here. Of course, her son had worked hard too, though at his age, boys didn't know how to express it—he simply stood quietly beside her.

David Martinez felt that the acceptance letter displayed on his mother's holo-logo was more of a shackle.

A shackle that bound his mother.

"You did it, David!"

Gloria's voice trembled. She didn't care that her car parked in the corporate plaza's lot looked embarrassingly out of place next to the luxury vehicles surrounding it. All that mattered to her was that David was priceless.

Arasaka Intranet Applications, AI Studies, Arasaka Corporate History, Personality Attribute Tests…

A whole series of tests, including IQ and reflex assessments, designed by Arasaka's scientists to filter through candidates with surgical precision.

David still hadn't fully detached from the brain-melting information he had just processed. All he knew was that compared to places like Kiroshi University, Arasaka Academy's standards were far higher—

But Kiroshi had never been his goal. Only Arasaka Academy.

It was his mother's dearest dream.

"Yeah, not bad. But Mom, the academy isn't here, this is Arasaka Tower."

David shoved his hands into his pockets, feigning nonchalance.

The Arasaka Academy uniform that had arrived by courier yesterday was perfectly pressed, made from high-grade fabric, and even shipped with expensive insurance coverage.

That was Arasaka for you—showing its absolute dominance in every tiny detail.

"Cocky little brat."

Gloria smoothed out a crease on his pale yellow jacket. "Don't think you're all that, huh?—"

"Well, guess what, David? Your mom thinks you're the best."

David grinned. His mother's joy was rare and precious.

The money spent on study programs and equipment to get him into Arasaka Academy—this was his way of paying her back.

Gloria, who rarely shed tears, pointed ahead with her finger.

David followed her gaze upwards.

Her finger traced the sky, finally settling on the massive Arasaka logo atop the towering building.

Corporate AVs frequently soared in and out from there.

"David, you will stand at the top of Arasaka Tower one day, I know it."

Gloria's voice brimmed with certainty. She had lost her husband and everything else when she came to this so-called "City of Dreams." Night City, with its lawlessness, frenzy, and chaos—she believed that only by standing at the top could one escape it all.

David wouldn't have to endure what she did.

Mother and son walked side by side, leaving the corporate plaza toward the City Center, where the academy was located.

As they crossed the intersection, a cold-eyed woman in a business suit brushed past them. An Arasaka Corporation badge was pinned to her chest.

"V?"

David's Kiroshi optics scanned the woman's info, displaying only a codename that barely qualified as a name—and the word "Arasaka."

The woman noticed, turning slightly before choosing to ignore him.

David was startled when a brief line of text, likely from a mischievous AI daemon, appeared in his optics:

"Mind your eyes, Arasaka Academy prick 🖕."

At that moment, an Herrera Outlaw GTS pulled up in front of Arasaka Academy. A slender leg, long and lean, extended from the car door.

His name was Katsuo, the son of Tanaka—a mid-to-high-level Arasaka executive and the academy's overseer.

"Such bad luck. Why do people like that get into this academy?"

Katsuo's light blue hair swayed as he ran a hand through it. For him, the academy was merely a gilded stepping stone. His life already belonged to Arasaka and its ambitions.

"Arasaka grants passes to anyone with talent, regardless of who they are… Let's go."

Tanaka, short and stout, urged his son forward.

---

The Afterlife had an unusual atmosphere tonight.

Though its crooked entrance sign—damaged from a previous car crash—remained an eyesore amid the glitz of the building, something felt different.

Tonight, Afterlife's security had been replaced by Maelstrom.

Hansen was showing off his power, and Lin Yue understood that perfectly.

They were like two gladiators locked in combat, with Colonel Kurt Hansen watching from the stands above. Both Lin Yue and Mr. Hands held leverage over each other.

Hands couldn't let Hansen know he was pulling strings in Dogtown. Lin Yue couldn't let Hansen find out he was using Arasaka's name as a front.

"Piss off back to wherever you came from, got it?"

The Maelstrom soldiers weren't known for their charm. A mere glance from Lin Yue was enough to provoke a string of curses.

Maelstrom Heavy Gunners—the two armored figures at the door had to be them.

If only he had bought some top-grade Kiroshi optics from Vik, Lin Yue could've scanned what cyberware they were packing.

Maine's crew held their ground.

Rebecca, hands resting behind her head, gave a careless grin. Maine crossed his arms, glaring at the loudmouths. Pilar and Dorio, likewise, didn't look like pushovers.

"We're here to see Hands."

Lin Yue glanced at the regular patrons entering Afterlife without issue. Maelstrom only stopped them, which had Hands' fingerprints all over it.

Faster than expected, Hands was pushing back.

Lin Yue had caught him off guard at first. But after the incident with Emma—Hands had clearly remembered who ruled Dogtown. Bringing in Maelstrom security was nothing for someone like him.

A dragon crossing a river might not beat the local snake—simple logic.

But Lin Yue wasn't here just to cross the river; he was here to feast.

"You deaf?" Rebecca tilted her head. "Big guy, your ripperdoc forget to install ears?"

"Piss off, brat." The Maelstrom soldier wasn't about to let them through so easily.

Lin Yue smirked. "Try laying a finger on us."

With a wave of his hand—

"Let's move!"

Maine shoulder-checked one of the Maelstrom thugs as they walked in, Lin Yue leading the way with a faint grin.

Maelstrom rarely let slights go unanswered, but if they were following Hands' orders, they'd have to swallow this one.

"Step aside, pal."

Dorio, with her imposing frame, received little resistance.

In Night City, hesitation was a death sentence.

The more confidence Lin Yue showed, the harder it became for Hands.

The Afterlife's dance floor was awash in green lights. Locals danced, drowned in cheap booze, synth-drugs, and pounding basslines.

"Your boss isn't showing up?" Maine asked.

"Nope," Lin Yue replied casually. "I'm handling this."

"You sure you can?" Pilar scoffed. "You look like a rookie."

He didn't like how this guy acted like the boss.

Rebecca, meanwhile, had already darted off toward the bar, far more interested in the drinks than the tense situation.

No one stopped her. Her carefree attitude only added to the "ragtag mercenary" image Lin Yue wanted to project—

Not exactly helpful for negotiations.

Pilar stayed on the ground floor as instructed by Maine, keeping an eye on Rebecca and the surroundings.

"Come in."

The third-floor office door opened, and the group filed in. Hands stood with his back to them, gazing out at the Dogtown skyline before turning around.

"Take a seat, friends."

Hands appeared calm, as if the incident with his wife had never happened.

Impressive composure.

"So, how much of Dogtown does your boss want?"

Straight to the point. No bullshit.

In Lin Yue's optics, Hands' reputation score had dropped to -80, with only one warning displayed: Be wary of your enemy.

Lin Yue knew then—there would be no reconciliation.

"Dogtown's business—all of it—for the next six months. Any clients who don't trust us, you can keep."

"Too long," Hands replied, pouring tea calmly.

Maine's brow furrowed.

How was this guy not flipping the table?

Lin Yue sat, unfazed.

Start with an outrageous demand—that's how you negotiate to win.

"Two months," Hands countered. "I'll take a break and let you operate freely. After that, it's fair competition."

"Four months—and give us Dogtown access passes," Lin Yue shot back.

Dorio raised a brow. Maine's head turned between the speakers.

Damn, Maine thought. This kid's got guts.

For Lin Yue, negotiation was just another battlefield.

"Three months," Hands finally said. "I'll lend a hand if you're in over your head, assuming you trust me. And Dogtown won't block your crew anymore—if your boss keeps his distance from Hansen."

That was as far as Hands would go.

Lin Yue knew it. Pushing further wouldn't work.

Three months was enough.

"Deal," Lin Yue agreed. "And if there are mercs looking for gigs, send them my way. My boss can handle them—and you know what happens if you play games."

Maine and Dorio eased up, hands slowly leaving their weapons.

Hands exhaled softly.

The tea's too damn hot today.

...

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