Cyberpunk Chivalry — Chapter 8

HEY THERE.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING US, BY ANY CHANCE?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I GOT HERE FIRST.

AN AMBUSH, THEN?

IF IT WERE, I'D HAVE SHOT FIRST.

I WAS ACTUALLY WAITING FOR YOU.

I HAD A FEELING YOU TWO WOULD END UP HERE TOO.

ACTUALLY, MAYBE IT'S MORE ACCURATE TO SAY ALL THE PASSAGES LEAD HERE?

...WHY WERE YOU WAITING FOR US?

I NEED THE KID.

HUH? ME?

COME TO THINK OF IT, I NEVER EVEN ASKED YOUR NAME.

WHAT IS IT?

STATE YOUR BUSINESS FIRST.

You never really break character, huh?

I NEED A TECHNOMANCER TO DO A DEEP DIVE FOR ME.

THINK YOU CAN OPEN THIS DOOR?

What...?

Was that too much to ask?

OF COURSE I CAN!

AS LONG AS THE PAY'S GOOD!

...WOW. BOTH OF YOU NEVER REALLY BREAK CHARACTER.

50,000 CREDITS?

ISN'T THAT A LITTLE LOW?

YOU'RE THINKING SMALLER THAN I'D HAVE EXPECTED, KID.

YOU THINK THIS MEANS 50,000 CREDITS?

EVERYTHING WE'VE SCRAPED TOGETHER OVER TWO WHOLE DAYS OF EXPLORING

ISN'T EVEN WORTH 200,000 CREDITS!

NO WAY, 500,000?!

THAT'S RIGHT, 500,000.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU!

MY NAME IS AKINA GREENWOOD!

A TECHNOMANCER WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE!

SO YOU'D LIKE THAT DOOR OPENED?

THEN LEAVE IT TO ME, AKINA!

...SHE IS NOT ALWAYS LIKE THIS.

WE HAVE SIMPLY BEEN SPENDING TOO MUCH LATELY...

NO NEED TO EXPLAIN.

AREN'T YOU CURIOUS WHY I WANT THE DOOR OPENED, THOUGH?

IS IT NOT BECAUSE OF THE R.E.S.T MEN?

PERHAPS THEY FLED THROUGH THAT DOOR, FOR INSTANCE.

...YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT IT'S WEIRDLY ANNOYING THAT YOU NAILED IT.

The data port's over here.

On it!

A CABLE PLUGGED INTO A BODY THAT LOOKS ENTIRELY HUMAN.

WHAT AN UNSETTLING SIGHT.

YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, RIGHT, MISTER?

GO ON. I SHALL BE HERE THE ENTIRE TIME.

LEVITATION AND A SHIMMERING BLUE HAZE.

IT APPEARS SHE HAS SUCCESSFULLY ENTERED A DEEP DIVE.

A DEEP DIVE MEANS LEAVING YOUR BODY BEHIND AND VENTURING INTO THE DEPTHS.

WHILE THE TECHNOMANCER RETRIEVES LOST TECHNOLOGY FROM THE DEPTHS,

THE ASSAULT PROTECTS THEIR LIFE IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD WITH BLADES AND BULLETS.

AT THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN REALITY AND THE DEPTHS, THEY PROTECT EACH OTHER IN THEIR OWN WAYS.

THAT'S THE IRONCLAD RULE OF PATHFINDERS.

THEY ENTRUST THEIR LIVES TO EACH OTHER,

SO YOU COULD SAY THEY'RE BOUND BY A SINGLE FATE.

STAND BACK.

FROM THIS MOMENT ON, I SHALL CONSIDER ANYTHING THAT APPROACHES AN ENEMY.

Whoa, easy there~ ASH BLADE... WAS IT?

SWORDS ARE FINE, BUT GET YOURSELF AT LEAST ONE RANGED WEAPON TOO.

YOU CAN'T MOVE AROUND FREELY DURING A DEEP DIVE.

YOU TWO MAKE A GOOD PAIR. I HOPE YOU BOTH LIVE A LONG TIME.

I'M NOT BEING SARCASTIC. I MEAN IT.

GOT IT!

ARE YOU ALRIGHT, MISS AKINA?

What a rush... So much dopamine...

HEHE! MISTER! DID YOU SEE THAT? I OPENED IT!

HA! CYBERSPACE ISN'T SO TOUGH AFTER ALL!

WHEW! THAT WAS FAST. YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD!

Can I move now?

WAS I FAST?

YEAH. REALLY FAST.

COME BY HALLOWEEN ENTERTAINMENT AFTER YOUR EXPEDITION.

I'LL TRANSFER YOUR 500,000 CREDITS RIGHT AWAY.

YIPPEE! YOU'RE THE BEST! YOU KNOW,

I'VE BEEN YOUR FAN SINCE YOUR ELEMENTARY GIRLS DAYS!

You sure it's not the credits you're a fan of?

ALRIGHT, THEN!

WE'VE STILL GOT MAPPING TO FINISH, SO LET'S GO TOGETHER!

WH-WHAT?!

WELL, SHALL WE GET GOING?

MISS AKINA, YOU LOOK RATHER PALE.

SHALL WE REST A WHILE BEFORE CONTINUING?

HUH? ME?

SHE DOES?!

WOW. NICE SCENERY HERE.

I SHOULD FILM A QUICK SHORT BEFORE WE MOVE ON.

THERE IS NOTHING BUT DUST AND WALLS IN EVERY DIRECTION.

WHAT SCENERY ARE YOU SPEAKING OF?

GO ON AHEAD.

HA! YOU THINK I'M GOING TO LET YOU WALK BEHIND ME?

YOU GO FIRST!

WHAT AN ABSURD NOTION.

WHAT GUARANTEE DO I HAVE THAT A CAPRICIOUS LADY LIKE YOU WILL NOT ATTACK?

WHY DON'T WE PART WAYS WHEN WE REACH A FORK?

WE SHALL TAKE THE RIGHT PATH, WHATEVER LIES AT ITS END.

FINE. I'LL TAKE THE LEFT.

I HOPE WE FIND A FORK SOON.

WE ARE IN AGREEMENT.

HAHA. YOU TWO REALLY DON'T GET ALONG.

ANYWAY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER FOR A WHILE YET.

CHAKA CHAKA

STILL, HE REALLY IS AN ODD ONE.

I'VE SEEN PLENTY OF HUMANOIDS,

FOR SOMEONE WITH SUCH A CRUDE BODY PATCHED TOGETHER FROM SCRAP,

THE BLACK EXPLORATION GEAR AND STEEL BLADE SUIT HIM SURPRISINGLY WELL.

THAT OLD- FASHIONED WAY OF SPEAKING,

HIS QUIET DEMEANOR,

AND HIS UNWAVERING VIGILANCE.

ABOVE ALL, THAT LEAP EARLIER.

HE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MOVE LIKE THAT ON THOSE SCRAP-METAL LEGS...

THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING GOING ON.

DID HE HAVE A BRILLIANT MAKER?

THIS KID'S JUST AS STRANGE.

A TECHNO- MANCER WHO'S SURVIVED CYBERBRAIN CONVERSION AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE

WOULD NORMALLY BE A PRIZED TALENT RESERVED FOR EXTRACTING LOST TECHNOLOGY.

BUT THIS KID'S CARRYING A BACKPACK AS BIG AS SHE IS,

BUSY STUFFING IT WITH EVERY LAST BIT OF SCRAP SHE CAN FIND.

A SCRAP-METAL HUMANOID AND A SCAVENGING TECHNOMANCER.

WHAT KIND OF DUO IS THAT?

WAIT. THEY'VE GOT... STAR POTENTIAL?

IS THERE SOME WAY I COULD GET THOSE TWO ON MY STREAM?

THEY COULD MAKE FOR SOME PRETTY GOOD CONTENT.

UM, IFRIT?

HMM? WHAT IS IT, SWEETIE?

CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING?

OF COURSE. WHAT IS IT?

WHY DID ELEMENTARY GIRLS BREAK UP? You used to be so popular.

NEVERMIND! YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO...

BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL DEAD.

GAIA WAS CRUSHED TO DEATH UNDER A PILE OF WASTE.

SYLPH WENT MISSING.

AND FINALLY, UNDINE. UNDINE...

UNDINE COULD HAVE LIVED!

UNTIL THE R.E.S.T MEN DISMANTLED HER ALIVE.

ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. EVERYONE DIED EXCEPT ME.

MADAM.

I DON'T NEED EMPTY CONSOLATION.

THAT'S HOW IT ENDS FOR EVERY PATHFINDER. IT'S ALL IN THE PAST NOW...

THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT.

THERE IS SOMETHING UP AHEAD.