Infinity, progressing from Arasaka

As the number one ranked school in Night City, Arasaka Tower Academy certainly has places where cutting-edge knowledge is taught, and even where real people teach cutting-edge courses. However, those are colleges with clear development directions, such as the School of Military Administration and Law, the School of Information Communication and Intelligence, and the School of Bioengineering.

The tuition fees and assessment requirements are several levels higher than those of comprehensive colleges.

Leaving the comprehensive academy and heading to Arasaka Tower? That's probably not where they're headed. Arasaka's manufacturing workshops, intelligent factories, seaside ports, badlands farms... aren't these also forms of employment?

"Tsk...this world."

Vera sighed inwardly.

Soon, guided by the reception staff, the group entered the closed venue where the new student admission ceremony was being held and proceeded to the VIP waiting area.

As more and more enthusiastic new students entered the venue accompanied by their parents, Vera could almost see their future.

Without realizing it, she pulled out the delicate metal box she used to store cigarettes from her pocket.

Ding--

Brian, the black bodyguard, quickly took out his lighter. With a crisp click, the flame rose, and Vera held the cigarette between her two slender fingers, placed it on her lightly tinted red lips, lit it, and took a puff.

Let's finish this quickly.

She'll just go through the motions, offering some cynical pep talk as an outstanding alumna to motivate them and maintain her persona: 'the second generation of loyal and virtuous alumni,' 'grateful,' and 'an outstanding senior leader who maximizes the company's interests.'

...

Inside the ceremony venue.

"..."

David, a freshman, doesn't like it here.

He didn't like the atmosphere here.

Because this place is out of place in his world.

His small home was in the H4 apartment building in Santo Domingo, a super skyscraper. There, the elevator was rusty, the walls of the corridors were peeling off, the decoration style was outdated, the stairwell was full of needles and piles of stains that people didn't want to look at closely, and the home was always gloomy.

Here, near the company square, you can see that suffocatingly tall, dark tower as soon as you look up.

The skyscrapers here are like weapons used in war: they are aggressive, heavily guarded, and arrogant, clean yet cold. Standing here, he felt as if he had come to the heart of the city, or even the center of the universe, and that they could devour him alive at any moment.

Including his mother...

"David."

Her gentle call seemed to sense the repression and fear in David's heart. Gloria lightly patted her son's shoulder. "Now that we're here, face it. In the future, I hope you can live a decent life, not like your mother, like your dead father." As she spoke, Gloria's eyes seemed to well up with tears.

"mom..."

David was speechless.

Just as he was about to speak to reassure his mother and put her mind at ease, his vision was drawn to a bright color in the distance.

David followed his mother's bright red hair and looked towards the side and back of the high platform directly in front of the venue. There, behind the railing, a large number of Arasaka bodyguards, who looked like they were not to be trifled with, were surrounding a beautiful figure.

Brilliant and dazzling.

Her pale golden hair, neither quite gold nor quite silver, flowed like ribbons in the wind, leaving a lasting impression.

--------

Chapter 018 White Moonlight

For the first time, David Martinez truly understood the meaning of the word "amazing".

He had never seen such vibrant colors in the filthy neighborhoods of Santo Domingo before.

A striking profile that stands out from everyone else there, and even here.

She leaned against the railing of the waiting area behind the stage with a languid and elegant posture, her figure perfectly accentuated by the high-end Arasaka women's uniform.

Her light golden, smooth hair, styled into a loose, high ponytail, was tied with a deep red ribbon, cascading down her back in a radiant and unrestrained manner.

In profile, bathed in the natural light emanating from the slanted lighting of the indoor venue, her fair skin seemed to shimmer with a delicate, pearly luster. Two slender fingers held a cigarette, wisps of smoke curling around it.

Light and fog, like a dream.

At that moment, she seemed to be glowing, radiating a dazzling and captivating charm from head to toe.

"How wonderful..."

David's eyes widened involuntarily, and his mouth opened and closed slightly involuntarily.

Simply emphasizing appearance is too vulgar, and David, who has little literary talent, racked his brains and could only manage such a soft murmur.

"David...David?"

"It's nothing." David quickly looked away, his gaze darting away, and lowered his head.

Even if poor children don't mature early, they still learn some things early. David could vaguely but accurately sense that he didn't fit in here and was too far away from his position on the ceremony stage.

"..."

Gloria naturally noticed her son's gaze, and she turned around to look in the direction David was looking.

She was undoubtedly a beautiful person, but also deadly and dangerous.

In Night City, maintaining a glamorous appearance without attracting the attention of its vile and despicable scum often proves one thing: the more beautiful something is, the more deadly it can be. Stare!

"Ah...!!" Gloria instinctively took a step back.

Because in front of her, an Arasaka agent with his eye sockets and nose bridge completely embedded in a combat prosthetic body walked up to her, his electronic eyes flashing with dark red light and coldly staring at her.

"..."

Soon, seemingly confirming that the threat had been eliminated, and with Gloria and David's identities as new students and guardians at Arasaka Academy verified and their danger deemed extremely low, Agent Arasaka quickly disappeared into the distance.

"Huh...huh..."

Gloria, as if she had just escaped death, placed her hand on her chest, gestured to the cross, which is now rarely believed in in society, and breathed a long sigh of relief.

Unlike David, who, though somewhat sensible, still possessed a naive and innocent look in his eyes, Gloria, an emergency medical medic at Night City Medical Center, knew a great deal about the hierarchical rules and regulations of Night City's major corporations.

That woman is definitely a high-ranking official in Arasaka.

David, are you that age too...?

Young people admire each other.

David was at the age where he was just beginning to experience romantic feelings, so it was perfectly normal for him to have feelings of longing and affection for beautiful and elegant women.

Gloria thought to herself.

but--

Gloria looked again at the VIP waiting area behind the stage.

A bodyguard, as strong as a black bear and heavily modified with combat cybernetic implants, carried a crystal ashtray from the rest area. The female executive from Arasaka Academy was stubbing out her cigarette when she slowly returned to her seat in the rest area. Meanwhile, the staff from Arasaka Academy were bowing respectfully while holding drinks...

It's really not suitable.

David, you should give up on this relationship as soon as possible.

......

"Okay, I understand." After receiving the report from the agent maintaining order and security at the venue, Vera's white bodyguard, Laurie, said, "Sir, it's a new student; the security risk has been eliminated."

Unaware of the impression she had left on some people, Vera nodded and glanced into the hall.

She wasn't worried about being assassinated here or about a terrorist attack at Arasaka Academy in the city center.

Since the Fourth Company War, and the passing of those incredibly powerful "legends," for over fifty years, no "legend" in Night City has managed to survive after recklessly running amok in the Company Square and the City Hall.

But that red-haired woman in the yellow jacket from Night City Medical Center…

Huh?

The boy with the double-shaved mohawk had a clear, naive look in his eyes.

Is this the year that the youngest legend of the future Night City will enroll?

Swish.

[Scanner Startup]

Scan results:

Gloria Martinez

A civilian working at Night City Medical Center, a non-trauma group member, with low-level cybernetic modification and capable of intrusion.

Cyber ​​Transformation: Basic Central Processing Unit, Chip Socket

Unarmed

David Martinez...

...

The document scan results appearing in the fundus reminded Vera that she had a good day.

"Give me a list of students admitted from outside the college this year, along with their entrance exam scores." With a glint of orange in her eyes, Vera, habitually planning ahead to bolster her future actions, asked the school for another copy.

As for Vera going to meet this future little legend now?

That would harm him.

Besides, what use is a sixteen-year-old kid who doesn't know anything, hasn't learned any knowledge, has no foundation or experience, and whose body hasn't even grown up yet?

Vera wasn't there to be a babysitter, she wasn't there for any connection. What she wanted were loyal subordinates who could take the fall for her and carry out her orders.

Let him settle down for a year, to understand the coldness and warmth of human relationships in Night City society and the hardships his mother endured raising him alone. Then Vera will reappear by chance, offering help in his time of need under the guise of being appreciated by a 'kind' senior.

Thus, a future 'legendary' henchman, a loyal junior subordinate, who would be recognized by Adam Hammer, was secured.