Riku didn't keep track of how many mechanical guards and drones he'd taken down. Maybe twenty or thirty at most—definitely not some crazy number like a hundred or two.
"So, about 10 experience points per kill, huh? Mechanical constructs give more EXP than fleshy humans?"
Riku rubbed his chin, thinking it made sense. Normal people would be totally helpless against those mechanical guards and drones—pretty cho (super) tough opponents.
"Tch, makes me wanna go back and scrap a few more."
Riku's eyes glinted with greed. One kill was worth 10 EXP! If he could take out 23 more, he'd level up again. Compare that to scavengers—hacking through 46 of those scrubs with guns to get the same result.
"But, slicing up scavengers is like doing a public service. The emotional kimochi (feeling) you get from that? Way better than scrapping a few drones. For the corps, losing those machines is just a tiny dent in their wallet."
Riku knew going back now would be like walking into a trap, so he just hyped himself up, boosting the "emotional value" of taking down scavengers in his head.
Closing his eyes, Riku took a quick nap, then got up to keep practicing his "Baldhead Fitness Regimen"—a training method straight out of some shonen anime grind.
By two or three in the afternoon, V pinged Riku with a message. She and Jack Welles were heading to meet a shady shinpai (priest-like fixer) to buy a car.
Riku couldn't tag along, but V and Jack offered to livestream the whole thing, showing off the car's details through their cybernetic cams.
It was just a used car, though—not some fancy hypercar—so no need to go overboard. Riku kept up his "Baldhead Fitness Regimen" while watching the feed, staying quiet and letting the two handle the pick.
With their budget being pretty genkin (cash-strapped), they settled on a sleek black Chevrolet Thrasher, 99% new, for 15,000 credits. Each chipped in 5,000.
The car's previous owner was a low-level Arasaka corp suit who got sacked not long after buying it and had to sell it to scrape by.
The Thrasher wasn't exactly cheap, but it was heavy, with a beastly engine and crazy fuel consumption—definitely not a ride for your average ronin. It was a favorite among corporate managers, though.
This thing was built like a tank, fully armored from top to bottom. You could drive it through a minefield and come out fine. The bulletproof windows? Strong enough to shrug off high-caliber rounds.
"Another slow-starter, huh," Jack Welles grumbled. Sure, the Thrasher's engine could hit kaminari (lightning) speeds, but its sheer weight made acceleration a slog.
"Don't forget the Thrasher's tagline: 'Better late than never—and you'll get there in one piece,'" V shot back with a laugh. Sitting in that car felt like being wrapped in a fortress. The price, five times that of a regular Galina, was totally worth it.
They were already on their way to pick up Riku, who had business with Old Vic. Now that he had some zeni (cash) in his pocket, it was time to fix a few things.
Riku waited in front of the massive H10 megabuilding, spotting V and Jack rolling up in the Thrasher from a distance. The car looked mattaku (absolutely) badass.
"Get in!" V poked her head out of the passenger seat, whistling at Riku with a cocky grin, radiating some serious shonen hero energy.
Riku shook his head with a smirk. He got where V was coming from—after being a nobody for so long, she was finally starting to make a name for herself.
Jack Welles had just landed another gig: head to Sixth Street gang territory and nab someone. 50,000 credits if they brought them back alive, 30,000 if dead. Compared to their last job against a biotech corp, the pay was a downgrade, but it was still way better than their old small-time gigs.
Jack didn't hesitate and took the job. They'd head out once Riku got his new gishi (cybernetic implant) installed.
Soon, the trio pulled up at Old Vic's ripperdoc clinic. Jack stayed upstairs chatting with Misty, while V tagged along with Riku.
"Yo, Old Vic! Still kicking, huh?" V greeted the ripperdoc warmly, clearly an old friend.
"Girl, I saw what you pulled off with that biotech job. Nice work," Old Vic said with a grin, giving V a fist bump. The guy was plugged into the streets—total oyaji (old-school) vibes.
"All thanks to Riku. Jack and I were just along for the ride," V said with a shrug, keeping it real without taking any credit.
"Riku, I knew you'd make waves," Old Vic said, turning to him. "I've got the gishi you wanted ready to go."
Riku had already messaged him ahead of time, so everything was prepped for the surgery.
"Then let's do this. Got another job waiting," Riku said, already peeling off his shirt to reveal a jacked physique and some wicked black tattoos that screamed yakuza energy.
"Hey, hey, hey! I'm still here, you know!" V yelped, flustered. "I'm a lady, dude, give me a break!"
"Ha, if you wanna stare, I don't mind giving you the full show," Riku teased with a raised brow and a grin, though he slowed down—he wasn't that shameless to drop his pants right there.
"Ugh, screw you!" V flipped him off, rolling her eyes as she stormed out and slammed the clinic door behind her.
"That girl? You could totally handle her," Old Vic chuckled. From what he knew, V didn't have much of a love life.
"Old rules—no anesthesia," Riku said with a smirk, dodging the topic. Back in the day, his high charisma stat meant he never lacked for female attention. His approach with women? Don't chase, don't commit, just vibe.
No choice, really. As an orphan with no kaban (wealth) to his name, just a pretty face, serious relationships were a tough sell.
"Subdermal armor: 15,000. Fireproof coating: 12,000. Thermal converter: 25,000. Dermal weave: 12,000. Optical camo: 35,000. Grounding plating: 12,000. Total's 110,000. You got the zeni?" Old Vic rattled off the costs.
This wasn't a small job. Even if it was older, budget-tier tech, each piece was pricey, and Old Vic wasn't about to let it slide on credit.
"No problem, I'll pay it all upfront," Riku said confidently. His own funds—95,500—weren't enough, but he'd borrowed 7,250 each from V and Jack to cover it.
"Then let's get started," Old Vic said, motioning for Riku to strip down completely and hop on the table. A full-body skin swap wasn't something you could do with clothes on.
(End of Chapter)