NOVPUB
Chapter 181 - 181
They helped Saburo Arasaka into the fully automated wheelchair that had been prepared in advance. Its automation wasn't limited to movement—it also integrated a life-support system.
The Arasaka execs had wanted to offer their respects, but all they were met with was the cold, rock-solid presence of Goro Takemura.
"Prepare a few AVs. Once Master Saburo rests, we're heading to Konpeki Plaza."
The execs exchanged puzzled looks.
Why would Saburo Arasaka, who hadn't left Tokyo in years, insist on going to Konpeki the moment he arrived in Night City?
They had, of course, known about his visit. That's why they coordinated with Mayor Lucius Rhyne to shut down Watson District.
They'd assumed Saburo was coming to inspect operations.
They hadn't expected his destination to be Konpeki.
"...Understood."
Even without understanding, they moved to carry out the order.
...
After eating, the three lay down to rest.
Being gentlemen, Leo and Jackie gave the big comfortable bed to V and took the couches themselves.
Resting up to regain strength.
Three and a half hours passed. Not a single sound came through the comms.
If Leo hadn't checked in with T-BUG once during that stretch, they'd have thought she'd fallen asleep.
The Azure Suite was stunning—elegant design, beautiful view, excellent service.
But they weren't here to relax.
It was bearable at first. But as the hours wore on, the wait started chipping away at everyone's patience.
If they failed tonight, Konpeki Plaza would go into high alert. There'd be no slipping in with fake IDs next time.
Jackie was the first to crack. He paced the room restlessly.
Leo and V sat on the couch, watching TV.
The anchor was reporting on the upcoming mayoral election.
Mayor Rhyne was fighting for re-election, but things weren't looking good. Political upstart Jefferson held the lead, though it was anyone's guess whether that would still be true by the end of voting.
The mood in the room was heavy and tense.
Trying to break the silence, Jackie spoke up. "Hey... what do you guys think? Why'd he walk away from all of it?"
V blinked. "Who? Walked away from what?"
Jackie placed his hands on his hips.
"Yorinobu Arasaka. Gave up everything. Yeah, I know it's old news, but I still don't get it."
"I mean, think about it—he had everything. Money. Education. Health. His old man snaps his fingers, and boom, half the world could go up in smoke."
"And he just says 'Screw it all' and... what? Joins a gang? Steel Dragons or whatever?"
"Cuts ties with his family, gets some fake skin grafts, plays the gangster for years—what the hell was he thinking?"
Jackie couldn't wrap his head around it. 𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖕𝔲𝖇.𝖈𝖔𝖒
He'd grown up in Heywood. Poor, really poor.
Worse than now.
All thanks to his father, Raúl—a violent drunk.
Mrs. Wells had worked herself ragged to finally buy their own bar. But Raúl never lifted a finger for El Coyote Cojo. Worse, he racked up debts all over town.
She ended up cleaning up after him constantly.
The bar hadn't always done well. For a long time, it barely turned a profit. And whatever it did earn, most of it went to paying off Raúl's debts.
That was why, despite owning a bar, Jackie had grown up poor. No money for school, no formal education, ended up in a gang young.
Raúl never appreciated Mrs. Wells's effort. On the contrary—he beat her. Beat Jackie.
Raúl was a lazy man, notorious for his temper.
One of his friends, feeling sorry for him, got him a driving job once. Within days, both Raúl and the delivery van vanished without a trace.
After that, no one gave him another chance.
No job, no future, just drifting through life. But of course, a man like that would never blame himself. Never.
He took all that bitterness and dumped it on his wife and son.
Every time he stumbled home drunk, Mrs. Wells would send Jackie away—have him sleep at the bar, or hide in the closet.
The cost of that was always worse beatings for her. When Jackie was a teen, he finally snapped.
He fought back—beat Raúl badly.
Told him straight: "Hit me or Mom again, and I'll kill you."
Raúl spent some time in the hospital. After he was discharged, he disappeared and never came back.
Maybe out of guilt.
But more likely because he realized Jackie wasn't his punching bag anymore. Sticking around would only get him hurt—or worse.
So he left.
That's why Jackie couldn't understand. Yorinobu Arasaka had a father with wealth, power, and everything that came with it.
He'd gotten the best education, even went to university.
Why walk away from that?
People spend their whole lives clawing for a fraction of that power. He was born at the top. Why throw it away?
"Strictly speaking, the Steel Dragons aren't a gang. They're a Japanese drifter clan," Leo said.
Back when he'd worked with the Bakkers, Leo had heard of them—Steel Dragons. A known group in Japan. Not just for what they did—like local Robin Hoods—but because their leader bore the Arasaka name.
Drifters in Japan had it even harder than those in North America.
With limited space and resources, there was barely any room for them to operate. The Steel Dragons had once been active, but in the end, they faded away like stones dropped into a river—just a brief ripple before silence.
"Maybe he couldn't stand watching Arasaka keep bleeding the people dry. Maybe he'd rather be a drifter."
Jackie still didn't get it. "If that's true... why'd he come back?"
Leo looked through the window at the streets below, where the Arasaka triple-sakura crest was everywhere.
"Maybe he realized the truth. That this militarized giant is too big, too entrenched—not even the state can touch it."
"If you can't kill the beast from outside, then you let it swallow you... and become the bomb that explodes from within."
V and Jackie exchanged an uncertain look.
"Leo... I dunno. Sounds like we're talking about a different guy. Yorinobu? That spoiled brat? You really think he's some noble rebel?"
Leo just smiled and said nothing more.
At that moment, an AV flew past the building.
Its side windows were open, revealing the passengers inside.
It was Yorinobu Arasaka—and Adam Smasher.
"Shit," Jackie cursed. "It's this late—what the hell's he doing at the hotel?"
"Doesn't matter why. His AV is landing on Konpeki's rooftop pad," T-BUG's voice finally returned after hours of silence.
Leo asked, "You think he's heading to the penthouse?"
"Security's down. If you move now, you might beat him there."
Jackie was already up. "Perfecto. Let's move."
"Wait, V."
Leo suddenly grabbed her hand.
In her palm, he wrote one line:
*Can you shut off the room's cameras?*
V blinked.
She didn't understand why he didn't just say it aloud.
But she followed his lead.
Two seconds later, the suite's cameras went dark.
T-BUG's voice returned, confused. "You guys heading out? Feeds just went black on your room. Might be a glitch..."
"We're on our way," Leo answered calmly.
