[Rakshasa V3 "Ripperdoc Custom"]
Cyberware - OS - Spinal Implant - Legendary
A heavily modded One-of-a-Kind piece of Cyberware designed to facilitate Ripperdoc Procedures regardless of location.
The Rakshasa OS allows the user to control a pair of extra arms attached to the Rakshasa itself, protruding from just behind the shoulder, allowing them all the benefits of such, including the space for extra cyberware within.
Unfortunately, the high maintenance cost and difficulty of use, even after various updates, prevented the Rakshasa OS from finding any real purchase within Night City, and production was eventually shut down.
The "Ripperdoc Custom" is specially modified for high precision movements and contains all* the required tools a Ripperdoc needs to perform surgery contained within the arms themselves.
*(Operation Table and Anaesthesia not included)
Grants Passive: [Rakshasa Arms]
+20 DEX and +10 STR when using your [Rakshasa Arms]
While using your [Rakshasa Arms]: You are treated as being able to use the [Surgery] Toolset, even if you do not have one externally available.
Additional Mods: [Nano-Repair System], [Self-Sterilization System]
I have been reading this tooltip on and off for the last half an hour now, and this isn't even the only implant I've spawned with already installed into me. my regular arms also have the same bonuses from all the chrome that's been stuffed in there, alongside some [Subdermal Armor] that covers most of my body, and enough focal tech to make me the equivalent of a living microscope, at the cost of looking like I'm a terminator: eyes like opaque sunglasses with a faint glow of red behind them that only intensifies when I use any of my active optic tech.
Speaking of looks, I certainly look quite a bit different to how I remember myself looking, as in I'm almost completely different. I say almost because I'm at least a similar build to how I was before, a gaunt motherfucker to say the least, but other than that I've changed quite a bit. I'm definitely quite a bit paler, and I don't remember my hair being this dishevelled... or having a scraggly goatee that somehow makes me look even less flattering, despite already being very much so. Really, the only thing I can say about my body that improved is that I'm no longer skin and bones but rather covered in lean muscle, not that it helps my image much.
If anything, I probably look like one of the most unapproachable people in this godforsaken slum, people would probably think me a living skeleton from a distance.
And yet surprisingly, I can't bring myself to care much.
Maybe it's an unspoken brain implant, some kind of system ability like that one from "The Gamer" or whatever it's called, or maybe whatever gods brought me to this world saw fit to break my mind before tossing me wherever the fuck this is... would explain why my memories are so scattered, half-formed and half-missing... I don't even remember my name...
Or... was it the mind-body sync fucking up...?
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[1 hour prior - Unknown City - Slum Alleyway - ??? POV]
Pitter, patter...
Pitter, patter...
Pitter, patter...
'The rain is cold tonight,' I think to myself, staring up at the clouded skies. body draped in a tattered old cloak that was quickly becoming soaked through, residue already starting to drip down onto my pants and shirtless chest. Though no matter how many droplets hit my upturned face, none of them seem to phase my eyes, even the ones that hit are blocked by the tinted glass that covers my pupils... except it's not tinted, at least to me. This is the clearest I've seen in my entire life, I haven't even needed to blink yet.
"... What?" I ask nobody in particular about my sudden unblinking nature.
My voice is hoarse, like my throat is made of sandpaper.
I continue to stare up, wondering if I should open my mouth and let the rain in to soothe it.
A blue box appears before I can decide on a course of action.
Greetings Dimensional Traveller!
The Gods of this world have deigned to grant you a new life upon the lands of Nyleria, in exchange for granting them knowledge of another world!
Aspects of this world are being integrated into Nyleria as we speak, and you have been chosen as the Pioneer of these new Aspects as thanks for your aid!
As such, you have been granted:
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Tier 3 Class: [Ripperdoc]
A [3rd Tier] fusion of the [Surgeon] and [Cyberpunk] Classes, specializes in modifying others with various [Implants], usually at a steep cost of parts and labour.
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A set of specialized and unique [Implants]
Curated to give you all you need to survive and thrive in such a new and dangerous profession! Pre-Installed and ready for use!
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[Inventory] for your Trade
Alongside a one-of-a-kind [Inventory] screen, you will also gain a steady stream of [Implants], automatically replenished every 24 hours, with different types, higher grades and increased stock numbers arriving as you level up your [Ripperdoc] class, to make sure that you're always ready to serve!
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Thank you for your time and cooperation!
Please remain still while Mind-Body Synchronization completes, as your full mental faculties are not currently available.
Current Progress: [=== 45% ===]
As I read through, a lot of things click into place, though the full picture is still lost to me at the moment.
'...Ripperdoc? ...Cyberpunk?' These terms mull over in my head, back and forth, as I continue staring at the screen, unblinking, all the while the rain continues to fall and the synchronization progress ticks up slowly. I know these words mean something to me, but the memories just aren't completely there yet.
All that's left now is to wait until the synchronization completes.
'50%... 51... 52...' A slow count begins in my head as I pass the time, watching the progress tick up digit by digit.
Number by number.
Something heavy impacts the side of my head, forcing me to lose my count. I look down towards the projectile, it's a brick, now broken after impacting my [Subdermal Armor], something that I didn't realize I had until now. I look up and further down the alley, where three rather heavyset men are standing, looking at me with visages that range from contempt to worry to sadistic excitement. I decided to name them Angry Guy, Scaredy Guy and Crazy Guy in my head as I give them a once over. In all honesty, I should probably be fearing for my life considering at least two of the three people in the group most certainly want to kill me, but I'd rather not run and risk messing up the synchronization.
I return my gaze upward and begin my count once more from the current level of progress, ignoring the three guys save for keeping an eye on them in my peripheral. '62%... 63... 64...'
Angry Guy picks up another loose brick and tosses it at me, which I catch since I saw it coming this time, my arm shooting out from under my cloak, panel lines clearly visible on it for all to see. For a moment, the surprise on their faces is palpable, but rather than give them time to figure themselves out, I decided to bite the bullet and leave to find somewhere more private to let the sync finish, surely a slow leisurely walk somewhere else won't affect it, right? Better than getting bricks thrown at me until 100% hits.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
As I get up, I barely register the extra pounds of weight on my back, like it's been there from the start... I also fail to register the three men behind me shouting and running after me in a frenzy.
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[Ylasse City - East District Slum Alley - Robby POV - [Classless] LVL 0]
'This is a mistake,' was currently the only thought running through Robby's mind on repeat as his... friends?... colleagues... ran angrily after the creepy homeless guy who just caught a classer thrown brick with his bare hands faster than he himself could even react. They were obviously in over their heads, this wasn't a normal man, the way he just stared up into the sky at nothing... and what the hell was up with his body anyway?! All those weird lines, and those eyes... were they even eyes? Why is nobody else noticing how stupid this is?
This whole fucking plan was stupid from the start anyway! Going homeless hunting to get him a class? If they wanted Robby to get the [Thug] class like them, couldn't they have just mugged some scrawny rich twat instead of throwing bricks at jacked old guys in alleyways? Maybe this was some kind of sadistic initiation test? Whatever it was supposed to be, he assumed it hadn't accounted for... whatever the fuck this dude was.
"Come on you goddamn pansy! Get over here and grab this guy, I need to give him a piece of my goddamn mind for thinking he can fucking slight me like that!" shouted a voice from a little further into the alley. It was Bobby, the leader of this little "mission" who just got his brick grabbed, and the reason for Robby's sudden headache... as the highest level in their group, a LVL 10 [Thug], he had no choice but to follow him, but god if he isn't the most impulsive, wrathful bastard he'd ever had the displeasure of working with, lamenting the fact that he shared most of his name with him. It was half the reason they had gotten teamed up anyway, considering their last member also had a similar name, Dobby.
Robby was incredibly afraid of Dobby, considering his mile-long sadistic streak that had him wondering if this whole thing was his idea from the start, at least the homeless hunting part. Fucker was so sadistic he even got [Sadist] as his second class, which he had reached LVL 3 in, complementing his five levels in [Thug], the standard gang member class, putting his total level at 8.
Of course, whatever fear he had for Dobby was being slowly but surely drowned out as he quickly approached the homeless man at Bobby's order, who was walking away at a pace so leisurely it was wholly unsettling, the pale skin of his neck only barely visible between his matted hair and ruined cloak. 'Fuck... is this guy even alive?' he asked himself, questioning such a thing as the distance from the ghastly form in front of him closed.
For a moment, he swore he saw a glow emanating just below the cloak, fear and hesitation filling every fibre of his body before Bobby screamed at him and Dobby from behind. "Grab him and hold his arms to the wall you two! Make sure he can't pull any shit while I teach him a lesson to not mess with his betters."
For a moment, Robby almost worked up the courage to snap back at Bobby, but Dobby had already grabbed one of the guy's arms and slammed him against the wall, grunting at him to take the other arm quickly. Robby moved on instinct, despite every part of his conscious mind screaming 'Don't do this Robby, this is a goddamn death wish!' at him, and held down the other arm, leaving space for Bobby to stand in front of their target with an undeservedly smug grin.
"So, old fart, you think you're so tough just cause you caught one measly br-"
Robby quickly tuned out whatever Bobby was saying as he focused on his job of holding down an arm...and he knew something was wrong as he did. The arm was tough, unreasonably tough, like holding onto a metal pipe, there was no give, not like muscles normally have... sure, muscle can get pretty tough when pulled taut, but this was different, scarily so.
'This... person... is something dangerous, I need to get out of here, quick,' he decided, preparing to let go of his arm and book it at the first sign of danger, glancing over to the g- 'Wait, why is there so much space between his back and the wall?'
The next few moments felt like a blur and a lifetime all at once.
With the horrific sound of tearing fabric, Robby watched in horror as two extra arms tore their way out of the man's cloak, dark grey with a sheen like steel, but moving with the grace and speed of a viper as two precision chops landed on Bobby's neck with no time for the man to react. Without mercy, the man... no, the monster's hands sheared through Bobby like scissors through paper, severing his head from his shoulders in a single move. A moment later, the world went a shade of blood red as the spray began, and the arm he had once been holding flung him into the opposite wall with the strength he could tell it had from the moment he grabbed on.
[-58 HP]
Dobby screamed in rage and thrashed toward Bobby's killer, Robby screamed in fear and ran away, already near death's door.
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[Unknown City - Slum Alleyway - ??? POV - [Ripperdoc] LVL 1]
'Huh, so that's what that weight was...,' I think in regards to my second pair of arms, not registering the life I had just taken for a moment, only to notice the headless corpse of Angry Guy on the ground in front of me as time finally caught up in my mind. 'Oh, I only meant to knock him out quick by taking out his blood and airflow for a moment, gotta watch my strength next time.'
There was a momentary 'Chink' against my neck before I looked over to see Crazy Guy trying to gut me with a knife, completely unable to get through my SDA layer while screaming bloody murder, though he certainly is tearing through my cloak quite a bit. I decided to give him a quick punch in the nose to get him off me and hopefully KO him, don't want him following me around while I find someplace to hang out and finish my mind-body sync, if it's even still going after all this movement.
With a quick movement, using one of my regular arms this time, I throw a seemingly sloppy jab into Crazy Guy's face, hitting dead centre with a resounding 'CRUNCH' before pulling back and letting the man fall. Sadly, I had once again underestimated my strength, even not using my second set which I thought would have been stronger. Poor Crazy had his skull fully caved in, my fist coated in blood, alongside flecks of bone and a little bit of grey matter, which I quickly shook off without a second thought.
My hands lowered to my sides as the alley went quiet once more.
The rain had stopped and yet...
Pitter, patter...
The sound of droplets continued.
Pitter, patter...
'I wonder where Scaredy Guy went...?' I thought idly.
Pitter, patter...
Ding!
Mind-Body Synchronization Complete!
Thank you for waiting!
I double over, thoughts flooding my mind all at once as everything clicks into place... or at least enough to realize that the current situation is fucked beyond belief. I just fucking murdered two people, no mercy. They attacked me first, but goddamn... I look at my hands and quickly realize where the sound of droplets is coming from. Blood, so much blood... 'I need to wipe this off.'
I quickly tear off some fabric from Crazy Guy's shirt... then some more... and some more, soaking all that I grabbed a bloody brown as I tried my best to remove as much excess as possible, so at the very least I won't be tracking a blood trail behind me for someone to follow. After that... I run, run as fast as I fucking can in the dead of night, out of that godforsaken alley and further into the slums, because there's no way I'm trying to get closer to the "good" part of wherever this is with my bloodied hands, but at least the massive fuck off castle in the distance gives me a good idea of what direction not to go. I run and run and run and I feel like I've been running way longer than I should be able to but considering all the cyberpunk shit I've got on my body, it's certain I've got stuff in my body too that's upping my stamina... Syn-Lungs probably.
Eventually, I duck into a random shack that I could tell was abandoned from the lack of people alongside the half-missing wall and smashed-up windows, which was more of a tell than the first thing.
Looking around for only a few moments, I seat myself in a corner and let go of the breath I had been holding for who knows how long. Panic. So much Panic. What the fuck is going on right now. Oh god I'm a murderer. I'm so fucking dead. Why the hell am I even-
Before my mental breakdown can fully take hold, something simply quashes it to the back of my mind. No idea what, but being suddenly forced into a state of calm and focus is a jarring experience nonetheless... or at least it would have been if that something also wasn't quashing the whiplash I should be going through.
'Alright, take stock of the situation, seems like a fantasy world if the architecture is anything to go by... and with all these boxes, I can only assume...'
"[Menu]"
And then, in that moment, my questions only grew tenfold.
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[Ylasse City - East District Slum: Northward Road - Robby POV - [Classless] LVL 0]
By the time Robby had reached the northward road, his entire body felt like it was on fire... his lungs were burning and his legs ached like they never had before... but he had to keep going, he had to get away from the monster that had killed Bobby, and most likely Dobby too by now... he had to get back to Syndicate home base... report this thing and hope that someone, anyone will listen, even if he's not got a class and that makes him less than dirt in the eyes of most people there... surely someone will-
Class Unlocked: [Survivor]
"Dying like a hero is for chumps, better to run and live to fight another day I say! Even if people call you a coward!"
By escaping a horrific and deadly situation by the skin of your teeth and being the last soul still living to tell the tale, you have unlocked the [Survivor] Class!
Class Stat Bonuses: +2 STR +1 DEX +2 END +4 WIL
Starting Skill: [Will to Survive]
When Active: Boost STR and END by 50% of WIL (Cost - 10 Stamina/sec)
Starting Passive: [Better Part of Valor]
Gain a 20% Speed Boost and -20% Stamina Drain when running from a dangerous situation
Would you like to Equip this Class now?
Yes / No
There was a pregnant pause as Robby took in what he was seeing in front of him, and for a moment, dozens of emotions rushed through his mind all at once.
Eventually, he settled on a single thought as he pushed Yes: 'Well, that solves the whole classless problem at least...'