The hiss of an automatic door closing echoed in the distance.
Leo finally relaxed, collapsing onto the couch like a deflated balloon.
These days, if you don't have power, you get walked on everywhere. If only he had the strength of post-timeskip V the Thunderer, at the very least he could've scared Rogue a little—let her know he wasn't someone to mess with.
Still, the outcome wasn't bad. He'd achieved his current goal.
As long as he had access to Afterlife and could post jobs from here, his efficiency in building connections and reputation would skyrocket.
The logic was simple—who you associate and cooperate with determines your social standing.
"New fixer L, of the Afterlife Bar." That title alone would go a long way.
Grinning, Leo picked up his soda and took a long drink, then beamed at his companions.
But that smile didn't last long—
V extended her hand toward Jack, mimicking a handshake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Leonardo DiCaprio. Codename L. Maybe we'll work together someday—pleasure to meet you."
Jack's grin stretched from ear to ear. "I don't shake hands with nobodies. Lowers my status."
V kept going with the script: "Well then, next time you want to work together, you'll have to reach out first."
"Hmph. Heh... cough—I'll be waiting."
Jack nearly lost it and had to cough for a solid few seconds to compose himself.
Having finished their reenactment, the two of them burst into maniacal laughter.
"Bwahahaha—!!"
Leo instantly turned red with rage, the soda can in his hand creaking into a warped mess.
Unfortunately, the two of them weren't the least bit scared, just laughing even harder.
After nearly laughing themselves to death, V pounded the table and wiped a tear from her eye. "Damn, Leo, I should've recorded that whole scene. You looked just like... like some street punk trying to throw shade at a gang boss."
"For real, mano, that was Rogue—Rogue! The biggest fixer in Night City! Man, I could never say the things you just said. Respect, bro, seriously!"
Leo knew his performance was bad, but being roasted by his own crew stung even worse.
"Whose side are you guys even on?!"
He demanded with righteous fury.
"Yours, obviously. Look, I was just lightening the mood, hahaha!"
V finally calmed down, grabbing another soda and cracking it open.
After chugging half the can, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Well, it wasn't exactly how I imagined it, but hey—we made it into Afterlife. That's worth celebrating."
"Finally something reasonable out of your mouth…"
Leo and Jack raised their cans and clinked them in midair.
After surviving Rogue's "baptism," the three had clearly grown closer. The atmosphere felt warmer, more relaxed.
Jack suggested they give their team a proper name. V immediately raised her hand in agreement.
Leo thought about it, then decided to wait. "Let's hold off until our hacker girl joins us. Once she's in, we'll brainstorm together."
"Brain what? Man, you talk weird. I don't get it." V shook her head.
Leo shot back, "Told you—read more books."
"Screw you. I'm a practical girl. If I can use it, I don't need to know how to say it."
Watching them banter, Jack smiled like a proud dad—the self-declared oldest of the crew.
He was honestly surprised by how solid this team was turning out. It had only been a few days, but already, he felt a sense of camaraderie, like family.
After spending over ten years tangled up in gang life, Jack knew just how rare and precious this kind of vibe was.
If things kept going smoothly, maybe—just maybe—this would become the kind of squad where members would willingly take a bullet for one another. That kind of trust wasn't something you could build with chrome.
The seed had been planted. Now it just needed a little love to grow.
Watching the two bicker again, Jack couldn't help but drift into thoughts about his own future.
He'd be thirty next year. His nephew was about to throw an engagement party, and he'd just broken up with his girlfriend. His mom kept nagging him… Man, life was getting harder and harder.
The chill banter went on for over half an hour before the hacker girl finally showed up.
As soon as the doorbell chimed, Jack opened the smart screen.
Standing outside was a petite figure wrapped head-to-toe in a black trench coat, with a cat-eared hood on her head. It was hard to say whether she looked more like an anime fan or a suspicious character.
Unsure what to do, Jack scooted aside and nudged Leo forward.
Leo scanned her figure and compared it with the photo Shironeko had provided. Based on her build alone, he could tell—it was her.
"Welcome, Miss Sasha Yakovleva."
He opened the booth door, inviting this pitiful hacker girl with a tragic past and uncertain future inside.
Moments later, she was standing before them.
"You can take off the hood. I already know what you look like—I've read your file."
At Leo's words, Sasha hesitated for a moment.
She quickly glanced around the room—
The big guy by the door? Definitely a bodyguard. Important folks always had this type.
The woman in the middle? Hard to say. Not much visible cyberware. Could be the hacker.
The well-dressed Eastern man at the center? That expensive suit screamed old money. Add the perfectly maintained face and age-matching voice—no doubt, he was L.
Her assessment complete, Sasha slowly pulled down her hood—
Only to reveal... a cat mask!
It was a Japanese-style cartoon cat mask, mainly white with red accents for the features. Honestly, it was kind of cute.
Leo, however, wasn't in the mood to admire it.
"Miss Sasha," he said dryly, "this isn't strip poker. Do I need to say something after every layer you remove?"
"C'mon. The three of us didn't hide our identities. Why are you being so secretive?"
Sasha froze, then, after a long pause, reluctantly removed the mask.
What appeared beneath it made Leo smile with satisfaction.
Exactly like the "file" said: a neat bob cut with blunt bangs, sleek and glossy. Delicate, adorable features framed by soft lips and pink eye shadow. Her bright blue eyes were wide and clear. Even the cyberware lines on her cheeks looked like cat whiskers, perfectly symmetrical.
If she had a pair of cat ears, she'd be a full-on 2D anime catgirl—the kind that drives otakus wild.
"Ahem!" V loudly cleared her throat. "Turn off your scanner. Didn't we say—scanning people up close is seriously rude."
Leo snapped out of it. Right, he still had the 6x optical zoom on.
No wonder everything looked so vivid…
Reluctantly shutting off the scanner, he gestured to the couch. "Take a seat, Miss Sasha. Let's talk business."
---
Read Up To 30+ Advanced Chapters in pat/reon.com/KyokaSuigetsu