Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System

Dante was lost for words. He was frozen, unable to move, disbelief painting his face as he stared at his fixer.

"Hey now, what's up with that reaction?" Viktor asked, his smile faltering a little. "You were the one who asked for it, remember?"

Dante shifted his gaze to the box, unsure of what to say.

"I… didn't think you would bring it…"

When he commissioned Suzuka to make some bionics for him, the genius Gearhead suggested that he get one piece of the set from the market, saying that there was no need to create a custom version. As usual, Dante asked Larry to see if he could find one for him, but then he remembered Victor and the trip he was taking, so he decided to make the same request as well.

"Let's just say I know a guy," Viktor said. "I took the chance to cash out the favor he owes me, and that's how I got it."

"You say it as if it's something simple." Studying the box for a few more seconds, Dante turned to the fixer, his face paler than before. "This is from Overmind!"

"Oh, it's more than just that." The grin returned to Viktor's face. "Go on, take a look."

"... What's the code?" In his excitement, Dante almost asked Volcan to Dive into the lock.

"55657665," Viktor replied.

Dante noticed the fixer's eyes narrowing, almost as if to say he almost caught him slipping. Since he had already revealed his Storage ability to Finn, he believed that there would be no harm in telling the fixer as well.

Keeping the secret from him was starting to weigh down on Dante. After all, Viktor had already shown on more than one occasion that he knows more than he lets on. Back when he first asked, Dante warned him that it wasn't something he would want to know. That said, he was starting to think it might be for the best if he let him in on the details. He could use a second opinion on his plans, and no one was better for that than Viktor.

'I have a feeling that I might have to do it soon…'

The lid popped open, and a cloud of compressed air released with a faint hiss. Feeling its coolness, Dante realized that the box was equipped with temperature regulators, likely to keep the interior from heating up. He waited for the cool air to dissipate before pushing the lid. The contents were soon within sight.

The inside seemed slightly different from what he had anticipated. Instead of the usual protective foam, the interior appeared to be empty, save for the items neatly arranged through it. If it wasn't for the thin ice coating its surface, Dante would never have realized that the whole thing was full of a transparent liquid, making it feel like a small fish tank.

The first thing that caught Dante's attention was the large, round object at the center. Though it appeared spherical at first, a closer look showed that the shape was too irregular and incomplete, like one half of a broken black egg. It seemed to be made from several alloy plates. Though their shapes differed, they came together like the pieces of a puzzle, forming a seamless construct reminiscent of the back of a helmet, although smaller.

Several other parts surrounded it, including one which Dante recognized as the port that goes in the back of one's head, having seen it more frequently after hanging out with Finn. Another one was a long, segmented stripe made from cross-shaped parts. As he studied it with his eyes, Dante realized what it was, causing him to whip his head in Viktor's direction once more.

"Is that an SRE!!?"

Synaptic Reflex Enhancers—implants that augment the nervous system, significantly boosting reaction time and coordination. It was high on the list of implants Dante sought to acquire, but due to how expensive they tend to get, not to mention how dangerous the installation procedure is said to be, Dante was under the impression that it would be a long while before he got his hand on one.

"It's something of a set." Said Viktor. "From what I have been told, this model has been created specifically to operate high-precision machinery. It might take some calibration, but I'm sure it'll serve you right."

"This is… Insane…"

A smile tugged on the corners of Dante's mouth, slowly pulling them up. A moment later, they dropped down, and Dante went pale once again.

"Um… Vik, how much did it cost?"

As if waiting for that question, the fixer smirked.

"Considering it's a new model that might never reach the public market, you could say…" Pausing for dramatic effect, he then added. "It's priceless."

An unreleased model, one that might never be sold openly. As he shifted his gaze to the box more, Dante realized that he might be looking at a prototype that was never meant to be seen by the public.

"This is… way too much." He said. "What's the catch? There is no way you're giving it to me just like that."

Overmind Systems was the world leader when it came to Neural Network Modules and anything used to interface with machinery. One could even say they were on par with Titan Forge. Their tech is integrated in all the higher-tier machinery in several fields, including medicine and cybersecurity, and one would struggle to find a better alternative.

When he asked for help to find an MLP, Dante did indeed ask for something of high quality, citing Overmind Systems as an example. What he didn't expect was for the fixer to not only bring him one of their products, but it was also a unique piece the public might never get to see. There is no way it didn't come with strings attached.

"There is no catch." Viktor sighed. "I already told you, I cashed in some favors. The implant is a gift, so don't worry about paying me back."

Squinting, Dante regarded him for a few seconds, still looking suspicious.

"It… still doesn't feel right…"

An implant that could easily go for fifty million Gold wasn't something people would give away just like that. Dante didn't want to doubt his fixer. Viktor had helped him countless times before, even when it inconvenienced him, so he wanted to believe that he was truly giving him the implant just out of the kindness of his heart, but that still didn't seem right.

Seeing that he wasn't convinced, Viktor sat down in his seat, leaned back, and looked at the ceiling.

"Nothing in this world is free, you already know that much."

Dante didn't reply.

"To be honest, I really don't want anything in exchange for it. If I can help you get stronger, then that's the best outcome." As his smile turned wistful, he turned to look at Dante. "If you still insist on paying for it, you can always help me out in the future."

"... so you're asking for a favor after all," Dante said.

"You got me." Viktor laughed. "Let's call it an investment. If things work out for you, you can pay me back then."