Japantown

April 7th

2069

Without hesitation, Sophie threw herself to the side. The quick reaction saved her life as a red-hot blade cut through the space she previously occupied. She didn’t stop though and continued moving, trying to put as much distance between herself and the thermal katana.

She looked behind her and found Rei closing in quickly. She pushed herself harder and she slipped behind a damaged building. Immediately, she lashed out with her knife in the direction she had just come from.

Sophie felt the blade hit something and a startled cry reached her ears. However, instead of pushing the advantage, she escaped again. She wanted to put distance between herself and her opponent until she could come up with a plan.

She forced all of the knowledge from Stealth to the forefront of her mind. The best ways to hide or slip away into the shadows appeared and she acted. She quietly disappeared into the shadows of a still-standing food stall, peeking her head out to watch Rei’s movements. She could tell he was angry.

“Come out you little bitch! You think you can get away with attacking the Claws! I’ll fucking gut you!” He continued his tirade as he walked around the area, attacking possible hiding spaces. Every time his back was turned, Sophie moved, inching closer to the entrance.

She tightened her grip on the Nue pistol in her right hand, fingers slick with blood. She couldn't fight him head-on; she wasn’t fast or strong enough, especially with his cybernetics giving him a clear edge. Escape was clearly the best option, though she also needed a plan in case she was discovered.

She needed to think, to find an opening in his technique. Her mind replayed the brief clash. Her Basic Bladed Combat informed her that he relied on Iai-do and the short bursts of his sandevistan that sent him hurtling in straight lines.

Most importantly though, was the glimpse of the unarmored flesh on his neck. His face was hidden behind the menpo and visor and she wasn’t sure about his torso. Obviously, his limbs weren’t a great target either.

The hint of a plan began to form in the event she wasn’t able to escape. If she could bait him into committing to one of his lunges and dodging the attack, she might stand a chance. Still, that was a last resort.

While Rei continued trashing the already ruined marketplace, Sophie had nearly gotten out of the area. She felt a small degree of deja-vu, considering she’d already attempted that when the Tyger reinforcements appeared. The thought caused her head to snap around, staring at the katana-wielding street samurai. The samurai who was looking directly at her.

Even from a distance, she could tell what he must have been thinking. His words confirmed it. “Found you!” The next second, he vanished.

Sophie dove backwards, just as Rei’s katana sliced through the air where she’d been. The heat from the blade grazed her shoulder, barely slicing through the protective suit she wore and leaving a painful burn that made her grit her teeth. Rei skidded to a halt, his momentum forcing him to pause and reorient before turning back toward her.

She fired two quick shots from her Nue, aiming for his face. He raised his cybernetic arm with lightning speed, deflecting the bullets with the reinforced limb. Sparks flew, but he remained unharmed, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“That's all you’ve got? I thought you’d be tougher. You’ve killed so many of us after all.” He taunted her while taking a step closer. His movements were unhurried, as if he knew he had all the time in the world to finish her.

Sophie scrambled further backward, her injured leg nearly buckling beneath her. She fired again, this time aiming for his exposed neck, but Rei darted to the side with uncanny speed, his sandevistan propelling him into a curved sprint that made her shots miss wide. He closed the distance in an instant, forcing her to roll out of the way as his katana slashed downward, carving a molten groove into the concrete.

She came up in a crouch, her knife now in her left hand, and lunged forward in a desperate attempt to strike while he was still recovering from his swing. The blade connected, slicing across the exposed joint of his cybernetic leg. Sparks erupted, and Rei snarled in pain, his balance momentarily faltering.

“Fuck off,” he hissed, pivoting on his uninjured leg and delivering a vicious kick to her chest with his other. The impact sent Sophie flying backward, her ribs protesting violently as she crashed into a stack of crates. Her knife fell from her hands and her vision blurred. She tasted blood in her mouth, but she forced herself to focus as Rei approached again.

She rolled onto her stomach, her fingers brushing against a jagged piece of debris. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and flung it at him. Rei instinctively raised his arm to block, the makeshift projectile clanging harmlessly off his cybernetic plating, but the distraction gave Sophie a precious second to scramble to her feet and limp toward better cover.

Rei chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “Stop delaying the inevitable. Once I kill you, Father will finally be proud of me!”

“Then do it,” Sophie spat back at him, refusing to give up. She ducked behind another stall, her breathing ragged as she reloaded her Nue. Her hands trembled as she did so. The constant beatings had taken their toll on her and her head was still ringing from the previous blow.

Rei activated his sandevistan again, his figure blurring as he surged towards her. Sophie anticipated the move but wasn’t fast enough to fully dodge the blow.

She screamed as the thermal blade sliced straight through her arm, just above the elbow and she crumpled to the ground. She attempted to stand but failed, dropping to one knee instead.

Rei’s failure to end her enraged him and he roared, closing the distance in a single leap and backhanding her with his cybernetic arm. Sophie’s vision exploded with stars as she nearly hit the ground though her Nue fell from her hand and skittered out of reach. She struggled to draw breath as Rei loomed over her.

He raised his katana for the killing blow and her life seemed to flash before her eyes. Her first death, the excitement of being reincarnated, even if it was in Cyberpunk. Then Mia; the way the older girl saved her from the Tygers and helped keep her sane through their shared torture. Her small, sad smile mere hours before her death.

And her vow. To become strong enough she’d never feel helpless. To become a monster. Everything flashed before her yet the killing blow didn’t come. Confused, Sophie looked up at Rei and noticed that his eyes had changed colour.

“Father! What do you want? I’ve already caught the little rat that had been hunting our people. I’ve done well, haven’t I?” He paused. “You want them alive? Why?” Hearing that, Sophie began to breathe heavily. She refused to be captured again.

Her eyes caught on the man’s throat. It was completely unprotected and he was both too busy and arrogant to think she’d do anything. She just needed something to attack with. Guns aren’t quick enough for a first attack. No knives left either…Do I really have nothing?

She licked her bloodied lips and realised she did, in fact, have one weapon remaining. While the man was occupied with deciding her fate, she lunged. All of her energy, her will, was focused into a single attack as she roared.

Rei flinched in shock, giving Sophie enough chance to slam into him and slap his arm, holding the katana, away. She clamped down on his neck with her mouth and her teeth sank deep into his flesh. Pinned beneath her, he thrashed around in panic, desperately trying to manoeuvre his blade for an attack.

With her remaining hand, she retrieved a spare pistol from her inventory and placed it against his head, withdrawing her mouth from his neck at the same time. “Fuck you, asshole!” She pulled the trigger multiple times and Rei’s head exploded, showering her with gore.

Sophie staggered back, slumping to the ground. She was alive, but in desperate need of medical attention. Her arm, severed by the thermal katana, had been partially cauterised but blood continued to dribble out of it. She ripped off a piece of Rei’s shirt, using both her blood-filled mouth and remaining hand.

It was a struggle but she eventually got a poor version of a tourniquet around the wound. She got up to leave and walked a few steps before reaching down, placing the katana and her severed arm in her inventory. After a second look, she also grabbed the bloodstained menpo from the Tyger’s face and dumped it with the katana.

Sophie didn’t bother with the rest of her weapons that had been discarded; they could be replaced later. Woozy from her injuries, she sent a mental command to her bike as she left the marketplace. Her movements were slow but she refused to give up. If she could make it to her bike, her chances of survival would increase dramatically.

The vehicle arrived and she hopped on, setting it to autopilot. With a single arm and significant damage across her entire body, she was in no condition to drive herself. “Come on little guy. Take me to Little China. Misty’s Esoterica, thanks.”

The bike started moving and she slumped over in her seat. All she could do was force herself to stay awake until she could get medical attention. As the city lights flashed past her, Sophie realised that if she survived, she’d have to make some serious changes to her behaviour. She’d start with getting Vik’s contact details.