Chapter 62

Faced with the task of raiding Arasaka, Johnny and I were completely exhausted.

...No, to be precise, we were utterly drained from trying to persuade Rogue—Johnny’s ex and the so-called Queen of Afterlife.

Sitting there, looking at us with a dead stare and smoking a cigarette, Rogue didn’t exactly look like she was in a good mood.

"...So, what. You're telling me Johnny's really in there?"

"Yeah. After putting Alt through hell and then dying without settling it, all that messy crap earlier stabbed him right in the heart. He's seriously depressed."

"...Hah, that’s just like Johnny without his boosters. A typical sleazy rocker who exposes his weakness, wallows in regret, and still spews nonsense about moving forward. ...Well, my mistake was letting myself get attached to a guy like that."

【She still hasn't lost her edge, stabbing straight through with her words like that.】

Talking one-on-one in a private room at the Afterlife, the shared topic of Johnny helped lower our guards.

...Though, the buildup of complaints and issues from when they lived together had a lethality of its own—enough to make Johnny grab a bottle of tequila and start chugging it within minutes.

"...Hah, feels like it's been years since I last talked about that idiot. When you tried to prove Johnny was real by mentioning the location of my birthmark—something only he knew—I seriously considered shooting you."

(So she was pissed.)

【But come on, that was the only card we had. There’s no way I’m getting out of this place otherwise.】

"Well, I guess I can admit Johnny’s in your head. Would’ve been better if I could see him myself. That replica arm’s not convincing."

"Nah, this arm’s supposedly the real deal. Boss had it hidden away as part of her collection. Found buried behind a warehouse near an oil field."

"Hmm... That girl, huh. ...She’s a diehard fan—shows up wearing a vintage, not a replica, SAMURAI jacket. ...Maybe I can believe it, then."

"...Hey, as a fixer, what’s your actual impression of the Boss? Coming from you, the top fixer in Night City, it’d mean something."

When I threw out a more casual question to change the topic, Rogue gave a wry smile and reached for her cigarette.

Apparently unable to deal with this sober, she took a swig straight from the tequila bottle.

"People out there probably think she’s the successor to Wakako, the fixer queen of Japantown. But that girl can’t be confined to a title like that. You need at least some corporate backing to rise in this city. ...The only reason I’m tolerated is because Arasaka has slapped a nasty collar on me. That I prioritize requests from Arasaka, the top corp, is an undeniable truth. ...Well, if Johnny’s really in there, pulling the chain connected to that collar might not be such a bad move."

She took another drink, getting into the mood.

"That girl—Jugra Kagura—is a revolutionary. Not a politician, not a warmonger, not some messiah. She’s more like a provocateur, a terrorist of the highest order, like that one guitar rocker who screamed ‘Death to Arasaka’. All those ridiculous cash giveaways, the cult-like followers, even seducing a rogue AI—it was all groundwork for the Arasaka assault. She’s planning to go out not as a mere thug, but as a nuclear warhead. Way too radical. She claims it’s charity, but all she did was integrate the Japanese system of obligation and service. The moment someone accepts her help, they’ve got an invisible collar around their neck. It’s like a clever con, wrapped in a façade of false benevolence. People call her a philanthropist, but you, as her attack dog, should understand—the bodies stacked four digits high come from her pointing a finger."

"...So it was all in the Boss's palm from the start?"

"Probably. But if she did it all without consciously planning it, then she’s a terrifyingly cynical realist. She’s taken control of healthcare and food—basically, she’s seized the power of life and death over Night City. But instead of wielding it outright, she built goodwill. ...That makes it easier to control the masses, and to move them. Think about it: who do you think has more numbers now—Arasaka employees or her sympathizers? Wakako once said an old proverb: ‘To shoot the general, first shoot his horse.’ That girl followed it—and didn’t just shoot the horse. She tamed it. Tamed it so thoroughly it could throw its rider and trample them to death at any moment. ...Makes you wonder how many years she spent crafting that plan."

A chill slowly crept up my spine.

If I hadn’t gotten caught up in my shitty boss’s scheme that day, I would've stayed ignorant of all this while buried in work—until it was too late.

Arasaka is the top corp, both in name and in the massive tower it owns in Night City.

That power let it act from the shadows with cash, wielding superior gear and racking up advantages over time.

...If it were me from back then, I wouldn’t have even a fraction of the info on the Boss that I do now.

She’s built a ruthless and nearly impenetrable web of secrecy—practically military-grade—and on top of that, there's the ‘Dragon Tail’ cult of followers. No decent intel’s getting through.

Is there even anyone in today’s Arasaka capable of breaching such a fortress?

Only now do I finally grasp the full meaning of what Rogue was trying to say—deep in my soul.

From the very start, the Boss’s plan was to crush Arasaka so completely that not even a scrap of flesh would remain.

"And on top of that, rumor has it that Yorinobu’s alive in 『Machine Dragon』. Sounds like she’s not just got a machete to strike, but a hammer too. If Yorinobu starts the assault under the noble cause of exposing Arasaka’s corruption, no one will be able to stop it. NCPD’s just civilian cops, not soldiers. No one wants to be ground zero for a nuke drop. If there’s any chance of intervention, it’ll be MaxTac. They’re NCPD’s elite, but their funding comes from Arasaka. Wouldn’t be surprised if they swoop in calling it a cyberpsycho case."

"MaxTac... the elite squad made up of former cyberpsychos. Definitely want to avoid having them join the party..."

"Yeah, good luck with that. Militech, the only real rival, is probably staying quiet to reap the rewards once it’s all over."

One of the two major factions in the Fourth Corporate War, a massive corporation fortified by its military-minded structure.

Militech International Armaments was a military conglomerate that held sway over the New United States, akin to Arasaka's role in Night City.

If the boss succeeded in taking down Arasaka, it was obvious that Militech would attempt to seize control over Night City.

"Don't tell me… that's why Delamain was grown into such a major corporation…?"

"Even if Arasaka falls, Delamain controls Night City, huh. I see, that's quite the insurance plan. They could even pit that rising power ‘Machine Dragon’ against them. Militech’s still an American company—plenty of sparks for a fire. If you think about risk, Delamain—that kid—will take the reins of Night City. …Hah, what an outrageous prodigy has been born."

"The boss was born to a pair of Arasaka researchers, you know. From what I’ve heard, the father killed himself in the lab, and the mother happened to witness the scene with the kid. That's when they became targets. Hermann, who was on the same team, testified that the mother killed the father, stole the research results, and fled. That’s what was said back then."

"…I see. So it wasn’t just deep-seated hatred—it was boiling over for years. That kid wasn’t just prepared, they shaped the world to turn out like this. Not foresight—just grabbing the future by the neck and dragging it their way."

Rogue’s words made it impossible for me to stay sober. I took a swig straight from the bottle of Centzon.

Arasaka really set off a terrifying bomb.

The two of us silently gulped from the bottle.

"So, with all that in mind, what do you plan to do?"

"I'm going to copy Johnny’s method of assaulting Arasaka Tower. Revive 《SAMURAI》, scream rock into the streets to raise red flags, and use the precedent to quietly connect the defunct Metro line beneath the Arasaka underground. At the same time, 《Machine Dragon》 will present a righteous cause and attack from the rooftop."

"Now that’s… quite the grand performance. And I suppose you're asking me to set the stage. It’ll cost you."

"Of course. Right now, our members are out earning funds. We want to minimize collateral damage—ideally to zero—except for Arasaka."

Vanny was circling the ring as a boxer, with Jack acting as her second.

Valy, with Judy cheering her on, was tearing through a street race at Claire’s request.

Sasha had gone out for a little pocket money, visiting access points under the guise of netrunning work.

Panam had returned to the 《Aldecaldos》 and was preparing an assault plan for the Metro construction site.

And me—I needed a foothold to revive 《SAMURAI》. For that, I needed a way to contact Kerry Eurodyne.

…Thinking about having to go through a Johnny-style confrontation again like I did with Rogue was a total drag.

"《SAMURAI》, huh…? Ah, so that’s why that girl hasn’t allocated the budget. Pulling off a surprise like this—you’re quite the romantic. Then here, a parting gift… I’m a little curious too. I’ll look forward to it."

With that, she sent me Kerry Eurodyne’s contact.

…Come to think of it, Rogue was Johnny’s ex.

She’d probably seen them live back then, and maybe it was burned into her memory.

"Thanks, Rogue. …Ugh, I really have to go through all that nonsense again…?"

"“Nah, with that guy you’ve got a slicker way. I’m gonna jam my guitar skills through the 《Relic》 and into your brain. You’ll be my stand-in, Vincent. Hit him with some rock. That’ll make it believable that I’m in your head.”"

"…What? No—wait, Johnny?! Ugh?! My head… it’s splitting open?!"

It was like I could hear a sizzling brand searing into my brain, a vivid heat erupting inside my skull.

Yet my body began strumming an illusory guitar, as if leaving my conscious self behind.

One song. Two songs. Three in rapid succession—technique, passion, pride were burned into my muscles.

My vision flickered, but slowly, light appeared at the end of the darkness.

"Haaah… haaah… thought I was gonna die… Johnny, you bastard! Were you trying to kill me?!"

"“Hah! Nice fingerwork, Vincent. Looked just like mine—HAHAHA!!”"

"Patting yourself on the back, you narcissistic bastard… ngh… damn, my head’s pounding… but I guess that takes care of the problem. You could’ve at least warned me first."

"Ahh… you alright, Vitt?"

"Sorry, I just got force-fed a decade’s worth of guitar lessons… you got a guitar or something?"

"Hmm… well then, use this. Some dumbass left behind their final partner."

Rogue pulled it from a locked locker—the same guitar I remembered from that provocative live performance, forever burned into memory.

I took it in hand, and without thinking, my arms and fingers began tuning it.

A motion etched into my body—familiar even after all these years—the perfect tuning came naturally.

And then—despite never having seen a chord chart or score—my fingers began playing without hesitation.

This was… the song the boss used to play on loop in the office, the melody of Never Fade Away.

…Was this the song he wrote to mourn Alt?

I could feel the quiet grief embedded in the guitar’s notes.

Tears welled up uncontrollably, but still, I didn’t stop playing.

Right now, I wanted to honor this sorrow with music. That’s how I felt.

"ーーWe'll never fade away……"

…It’s a good song. Maybe I finally understand why the boss was so obsessed with it.

I finished my first-ever guitar performance, soaking in the vibrating echo of the strings.

Rogue, stunned, stared blankly for a while before breaking into a soft, crumpled smile.

"Not bad. With technique like that, you might really pull off standing in for that Johnny. If I’m this affected, Kerry Eurodyne, who played beside him, will definitely hear you out."

"You think so?"

"Yeah… it brings back memories. Feels like old burns are flaring up again. …This surprise of yours—give me a good seat. That’ll be my price."

"Huh? Wait, are you sure that’s okay, in your position?"

"…It’s fine. Either way, once your operation starts, Arasaka’s finished. If that kid wins, it’s a parade. If she loses, it’s a bloodbath of revenge. …What she’s accomplished is a humane, gentle method of persuasion no one else even dared to try. But look at it another way, and it’s a horrifying, cold-blooded tactic. The ordinary folks, numbed by Arasaka and Biotechnica’s methods, won’t even notice. She’s a peerless agitator… truly…"

Rogue downed her tequila as if to say the conversation was over.