Lying in shock-absorbing foam, the Malorian Arms 3516 was a sleek, cold matte pistol. The hand-carved flame etchings on the slide were still sharp, and the grip bore clear signs of wear—marks left by a certain rockerboy who'd pulled the trigger like a madman for fifty years.
"Goddamn..." Johnny's projection suddenly froze. The holographic static hanging in midair stilled, his mechanical dog body trembled slightly, and the apertures of his cyber-eyes expanded and contracted rapidly. "Malorian 3516. It's really it."
Karl picked up the gun gently. Its weight made him raise his eyebrows—it was heavier than he'd expected. Not just physically, but in the historical sense as well. He rotated it under the dim light, inspecting every detail:
A modified magwell compatible with 90% of ammo on the market. A smartlink interface on the barrel's side—rusty, but still operational.
"Three firing modes," Karl murmured as he recited the specs he'd heard, "ricochet, wall-penetration, incendiary. The rounds heat themselves up on impact. Each shot packs enough punch to rival an anti-tank round. Only a modded cyberarm can handle the recoil. Guess the legends were true…"
Johnny's projection burst into a flurry of white static. "Fuck, why do I get the feeling you're praising the gun way more seriously than you ever praised me?"
Karl ignored him, his fingers brushing over the trigger guard. He could picture the night fifty years ago—this gun spitting flames atop Arasaka Tower, roaring until its last breath, just like its owner.
"You know," Karl said with a faint smile, "I always figured this thing must feel real nice in the hand."
"Fuck you."
Johnny saw through him instantly. "I'm still right here, and you're already thinking about having fun with my gun?"
"Don't be so stingy, Johnny. I'll even say please if you want."
Karl was already clearly taken with it. He spun the Malorian 3516 around his finger, noting how well-balanced it was. "Guns are meant to be used, right? And let's be honest, you can't exactly shoot it in your current form."
"I could fire it with mechanical limbs!"
Even as he said that, Johnny glanced at Karl and muttered, "Fine. Just this once."
"Once is enough."
As the saying goes—once you try it, it gets easier next time.
Helping out the NCPD today had definitely paid off. Karl had scored a car and a legendary gun. He wouldn't mind doing this kind of job more often.
He remembered the time he and Reed had passed through the Dogtown tunnel and faced that mid-level merc with armor his usual guns couldn't penetrate. If he'd had the Malorian 3516 back then, things might've gone down very differently.
This weapon really was exceptional. Most guns would be considered advanced if they had just one of its features—ricochet or wall-penetration. Forget about smartlink compatibility. But the 3516 had it all.
And after checking its condition, Karl realized that even by today's standards, it was still top-tier. He had to admit—after the Data Crash, the bizarre idea that "the older, the stronger" might actually be true.
Of course, the Malorian 3516 wasn't perfect. Its recoil was notoriously hard to control. But for someone like Karl—with cybernetic arms similar to Johnny's—it actually felt just right. If Johnny hadn't been watching so closely, Karl might've slipped it into his jacket already.
But Johnny could clearly tell what Karl was thinking.
"I'm saying it again, Karl. Don't even think about sneaking off with my pistol like it's a fuckin' lighter. Just once. I'm watching you. That thing was made just for me. One of a kind. I wouldn't give it up to anyone."
"Wow, Johnny. You really think I'm that kind of guy?" Karl said casually, but Johnny's words gave him an idea.
He'd talked with Oliver and the others before about commissioning a custom gun. Maybe now was the time to actually do it.
Karl touched the three guns strapped to his side.
His kinetic weapon All-Night, his tech weapon Qianxin, and his smart weapon Yinglong. He wondered if any company could combine the functionality of all three—maybe even incorporate their core components into a new build. A custom piece like that would probably mean retiring the originals, but Karl still wanted their parts to stay with him.
After all, aside from Yinglong, the others were long-time companions.
A weapon with the stopping power of a kinetic gun, the penetration of a tech weapon, and the smartlink precision of a smartgun—something akin to Johnny Silverhand's Malorian 3516. But could any company actually make that happen?
Karl knew of many renowned arms manufacturers, but only had ties with two: Militech and Arasaka. Both giants in the military sector, constantly developing new weapons. But their focus was on mass-market designs—more users meant more profit. Custom jobs like this? Probably not their style.
Malorian Arms, the company that built Johnny's gun, was still around in 2077. Word was, they hadn't released a new model since the 2000s, but they still took on private commissions—supposedly.
The only reason they even made Johnny's weapon back then was because their owner, Elan Malur, a US military vet, had a soft spot for fellow servicemen. That's how both Johnny and Morgan Blackhand ended up with custom gear. But Karl? He'd never served.
"I'll ask around first," he thought to himself.
As Karl mused, Johnny Silverhand had somehow pulled out a rag and was haphazardly wiping down the car.
With Johnny at the wheel, the Porsche 911 rumbled to life with a low growl. As the car slowly rolled out of the container, Karl picked up Johnny's cyberarm and stepped outside—just in time to see Andy walking toward him from the distance.
"Got a lead on the guys selling illegal cyberware?" Karl asked.
"Yeah," Andy nodded. "They were using the docks for hazardous shipping. The route was easy to trace—they weren't trying to export it overseas. This was just a transfer point. We just need to pinpoint when the truck with the dangerous goods came in, then cross-check it with city surveillance."
He then noticed the Porsche.
"This car is—"
Before he could finish, Johnny poked his head out the driver's window. "What are you waiting for? Get in. Where we headed? I'll give you a spin you'll never forget."
Andy and Karl exchanged a look, then walked over in perfect sync.
Karl slid into the passenger seat.
Andy…
He picked Johnny up and sat in the driver's seat himself, placing the mechanical dog on his lap.
In the distance, Iron Chunk watched as the dog drove off with the two who'd shown up claiming to hunt dangerous contraband—though, in his eyes, they were the real danger.
He blinked with all four of his cyber-eyes, then glanced at the Militech Enforcer idling near the port gate. After a moment's hesitation, he told his gang to keep an eye on the car. No way they were letting that thing just disappear.
Karl and the NCPD cop might've strolled out like they owned the place, but Maelstrom couldn't afford to be that casual.
But as his guys moved in to secure the vehicle, they realized—
Someone was already sitting inside the Enforcer.
A rookie from NCPD's Special Operations Unit, who had been waiting there this entire time—prepping a backup plan for Karl and his senior officer—only to realize the two had completely forgotten about him.
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🔥 CYBERPUNK: THE RELENTLESS
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🔥 THE STORY DOESN'T STOP HERE. NEITHER DOES HE.
Night City breaks people every day.
Some crawl away.
Some disappear.
And some simply refuse to stop.
Cyberpunk: The Relentless has 500+ chapters ahead available for readers who want to keep going.
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⚡ NO BRAKES. NO MERCY. NO TURNING BACK.
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Every victory creates another enemy.
Every enemy leads to something bigger.
And Night City always wants another body.
🔥 500+ CHAPTERS AHEAD.
👉 Why stop now?
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