"Ninja Soul possession requires a strong will. And the best way to awaken powerful willpower is what they call 'love'—experiencing various crises without abandoning each other, powerful love."
Saburo Arasaka's body gradually straightened. Everything the public saw was merely a disguise.
'Strong willpower... and... near-death crisis?' David's mind blared with alarms, his sharp sixth sense screaming for him to run.
But this was Arasaka Tower, meticulously prepared by Saburo Arasaka as the stage to reap his rewards. How could he let David escape?
A massive shadow loomed over David—not a killing blow, but a warning. David yanked Lucy aside, and a gigantic figure materialized before him.
It was a mechanical construct, with only half a face retaining any human semblance.
Though it was their first encounter, David instantly recognized the identity—Adam Smasher.
He resembled the figure from TV broadcasts, yet differed: the cyberware wasn't the familiar black, but a flashy mix of black-purple and fluorescent green, like neon block patterns!
"Adam Smasher?"
David cried out in shock. This was Night City's 'strongest'—at least publicly.
Theoretically, no mercenary, even a full-conversion like Adam Smasher, could match a ninja. Yet David sensed an intense threat from him.
This guy was more beast than human! A mindless beast!
"Powerful, handsome, young, willing to defy all of Night City for his love. Most importantly, he succeeded."
"How was tonight's ordeal? Unforgettable for life, isn't it? Love is truly wonderful~"
Saburo Arasaka continued, as if he had them cornered. He could sense the emotions between David and Lucy; his 'assists' tonight had drawn them closer... making him all the more eager to tear them apart!
Adam Smasher, Saburo Arasaka, and Takemura vaguely encircled David and Lucy. The overwhelming pressure left David gasping; was the power gap truly this vast?
"If you don't want David to die, then survive, Lucy."
"As long as you can kill the Cyber Ninja, I might consider sparing you."
Saburo Arasaka dangled the carrot, then drew a pistol from his coat and fired at Lucy.
Ninja reflexes: from draw to shot in under 0.01 seconds, beyond human limits. The bullet hurtled toward Lucy.
David, with ninja reactions, instantly activated his Sandevistan. After the hellish five-kilometer gauntlet, his body teetered on collapse, sustained purely by willpower.
He could intercept it! Familiar with his speed, in the near-frozen world, he positioned between Lucy and Saburo Arasaka, fist ready to swat the bullet.
"Yeeart—"
He swung! But missed the bullet!
David reeled from colossal force, like a head-on train collision, body launched airborne.
"Guwah!"
Blood erupted from his mouth; his organs felt mangled. Mid-flight, he spotted his attacker—Adam Smasher.
The foe had activated Sandevistan too, matching his speed perfectly. Theoretically impossible—his Sandevistan transcended tech limits.
He'd faced many with Sandevistan en route, including Militech elites, all outclassed by his speed gap.
David realized: ninja power had transformed his Sandevistan into supernatural force. So why could Adam Smasher keep pace?
Thoughts raced, but he could only glare murderously at Adam Smasher. The chance was lost.
The bullet grazed past, punching through Lucy's abdomen with devastating force—a horrific, bowl-sized exit wound!
"Saburo Arasaka!!!"
David roared through bloodied lips.
His figure vanished again. Physical agony paled against mental torment; he finally grasped Saburo Arasaka's scheme. Staring at Lucy's grave wound, he craved only Saburo's death.
"Bang—"
As he vanished, Adam Smasher did too. The bulky cyberbody belied blinding speed—he had Sandevistan!
A metal fist hammered him; nearly fleshless, like a car crashing, it sent David flying anew.
Hellish five-km endurance fight, Lucy's wounding shattering his spirit, forced Sandevistan ravaging his body... David collapsed.
"Urgh—"
Hands braced the ground as he vomited blood ceaselessly, body drained, vision dimming.
"How... that speed... why can he wield Ninja Art: Sandevistan too?"
His was unique: cyberware fused into flesh, ninja jutsu. A feat only he should achieve.
"Of course—we learned from you."
Saburo Arasaka eyed the defeated David, smugly explaining. What good was the plan without gloating?
Subconsciously, jealousy fueled it: David's talent, luck, path to True Ninja.
"Thanks to your sample, our Cyber Ninja project succeeded."
"Over a decade ago, we pondered fusing cyberware into ninjas for greater power."
"No success—until you."
Arasaka Tech's high-end arsenal plus Yoroshi-san's ninja mastery, calibrated to David's data, birthed this masterpiece.
"Cyber Biochemical Ninja · Experimental Model. Adam Smasher base body ensures ninja power with cyberware tech."
Such a tool? Backups aplenty. Yoroshi-san's cloning rendered him expendable.
David stared at the soulless 'experimental ninja.' Mass-producible abomination?
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