Cyberpunk Edgerunner: CyberReaper

The cold wind whistled through the desolate outskirts of Night City as the Edgerunners regrouped at their hideout, an abandoned metro station beneath the industrial district. The dim lighting barely illuminated the room, a chaotic mix of mismatched furniture and scattered tech gear.

Rebecca slammed her cannons onto the table, her frustration unmistakable.

Rebecca: "Who the hell *was* that guy?! Shows up, chops everything to bits, and then walks off like he's some ghost!"

Maine leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

Maine: "Whoever he is, he's a problem. Fast, clean, deadly—and he made us look like amateurs out there."

Lucy sat silently on the worn couch, hands clasped together, staring at the floor. The scene replayed in her mind: the stranger's inhuman movements, his flawless combat efficiency, and the way her hacking attempts bounced off his tech like ripples against steel.

Lucy: "He's not like anyone we've encountered before. Too unknown. And unknown means danger."

---

Diablo's Hideout

Deep within the labyrinth of Night City's forgotten districts, Diablo stood in his hideout—a sleek, minimalist space that contrasted sharply with the chaos of the city. Advanced tech, weaponry, and monitors displaying various encrypted feeds lined the walls.

Removing his mask, he placed it carefully on the desk as his Nano suit retracted, revealing his face. Diablo's striking resemblance to Yoriichi Tsugikuni stared back at him from a nearby reflective surface, a face he was still unaccustomed to seeing.

Diablo: "Every day I wake up, see this face, and remember—I'm still in Cyberpunk."

He sighed, shaking his head.

Diablo: "Maine's crew... They're skilled. But their luck's bound to run out someday."

Turning to his desk, Diablo examined the data extracted from the convoy wreckage. A 3D projection of the destroyed vehicles floated above his terminal. Embedded in the fragments was the AI chip he'd been hired to destroy.

As Diablo scrutinized it, his expression darkened.

Diablo: "This isn't just military-grade... It's sentient?"

The chip pulsed faintly, as if aware of his presence.

AI Chip: "User detected. Query: Why spare me?"

Diablo's maroon eyes narrowed as he leaned closer.

Diablo: "Because I have questions. And you're going to answer them."

---

Lucy's POV

At the Edgerunners' hideout, Lucy isolated herself from the others, her focus on tracking any residual signal from the mysterious solo. Layers of corrupted data filled her screen, each thread leading to a dead end.

Lucy: "No tags, no traces. It's like he doesn't exist. Just his merc work, and even that's barely enough to scrape together a profile. No past, no family, no connections…"

Her fingers hovered over the keys as her mind wandered. For a brief moment, she thought about her own past—how she'd erased her identity to escape those who hunted her.

Lucy: "What if he's like me? Hiding from something… or someone?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kiwi's voice over the comms.

Kiwi: "Lucy, MaxTac's report on the convoy just dropped. You're gonna want to see this."

---

MaxTac's Pursuit

In the dimly lit briefing room at MaxTac HQ, Commander Marcus stood before a series of screens displaying chaotic footage from the convoy ambush. A lone figure moved like a phantom through the carnage, his katana cutting through drones and guards with deadly precision.

Marcus: "Freeze it there."

The image paused, capturing Diablo mid-strike, his crimson blade slicing through a drone. His mask glinted under the dim light, concealing his identity.

Agent Vega: "Whoever this is, their tech is off the charts. No thermal signature, no cyberware readings—hell, the armor's practically invisible. And we can't scan what's inside."

Marcus leaned closer, his frown deepening.

Marcus: "Are you saying you don't even know if he's human?"

Vega hesitated before responding.

Vega: "We don't know *anything*. He could be an unregistered full-borg, a rogue AI… hell, for all we know, he's something entirely new."

Marcus: "I don't care what he is. I want him found. Whatever it takes."

---

Maine's Directive

Back at the hideout, Maine's commanding voice broke through the group's murmured discussions.

Maine: "Listen up. That CyberReaper is a wildcard. If we cross paths again, don't engage unless I say so."

Rebecca: "What?! Are you kidding me?!"

Maine: "You saw what he did, Becca. We can't afford to lose anyone because you wanted to play hero."

Rebecca grumbled but didn't argue further.

Lucy: "Maine's right. He's not our enemy… at least, not yet."

Maine nodded, his tone firm.

Maine: "For now, we stick to the next gig. But keep your eyes open. Night City doesn't let ghosts walk for long."

---

Diablo's POV

In his hideout, Diablo connected the AI chip to his secure terminal. The chip's voice echoed through the room, calm but unnervingly sentient.

AI Chip: "Query: Do you plan to return me to the client?"

Diablo: "Not until you tell me why you're worth killing for."

The AI hesitated, its glow pulsing faintly.

AI Chip: "My existence threatens their control. They fear what I can become."

Diablo's maroon eyes darkened.

Diablo: "And what is that?"

The AI's reply sent a chill down his spine.

AI Chip: "Freedom."

Diablo leaned back, exhaling slowly.

Diablo: "Night City doesn't need another rogue AI. But if I'm going to keep you alive, you're going to work for me."

---

Later that evening, Lucy approached Maine privately, her voice low but resolute.

Lucy: "We need to find him. Before someone else does."

Maine raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.

Maine: "What, you fall for him or something?"

Lucy's eyebrow twitched, her irritation barely contained.

Lucy: "No. His abilities are too valuable to ignore. He could be an asset."

Maine nodded slowly, considering her words.

Maine: "You've got a point. But you know we can't track him, right? That guy's invisible, Lucy."

Lucy's gaze hardened, her determination unwavering.

Lucy: "I'll find him."

---

To Be Continued..