The Cyberpunk System had been the single greatest advantage Victor possessed since arriving in this world.
At first glance, it resembled the character progression system from Cyberpunk 2077.
The core attributes remained familiar: Body, Reflexes, Technical Ability, Cool, and Intelligence.
However, after years of using it, Victor had discovered that his version was far more sophisticated than the game he remembered.
In addition to the standard attributes, the system contained an extensive Perk Tree, a unique Achievement System, and something he considered one of its most valuable functions—a Blueprint Exchange System.
Through this function, he could spend money and system points to acquire advanced technological blueprints.
The money requirement wasn’t difficult.
The points were the real problem.
There were only two reliable ways to earn them.
The first was killing enemies.
The second was completing system missions.
Neither option was particularly convenient.
Victor couldn’t simply walk into Night City’s streets and start murdering random people for points.
Even in a city as violent as Night City, that kind of behavior would quickly attract unwanted attention.
Best case scenario, the authorities would label him a cyberpsycho.
Worst case scenario, Arasaka would quietly eliminate him before he became a liability.
As for missions, they were frustratingly rare.
In more than twenty years, Victor had only completed around thirty.
The most annoying part was that he still didn’t fully understand how missions were triggered.
Sometimes they appeared during major life events.
Sometimes they emerged during critical decisions.
And occasionally they seemed completely random.
The unpredictability made planning nearly impossible.
Still, Victor couldn’t complain.
The system had already given him more than enough.
His greatest gift came on the day of his birth.
The Beginner Gift Package.
Even now, he remembered the three notifications clearly.
[You possess a powerful physique beyond ordinary humans.] [Your mind remains exceptionally clear and focused.] [You possess extraordinary scientific intuition.] Simple descriptions.
Yet their effects were profound.
Those three gifts formed the foundation of everything Victor had achieved.
His enhanced physique allowed him to withstand workloads that would exhaust ordinary people.
His superior intelligence enabled him to process information rapidly and make decisions under pressure.
His technical talent allowed him to understand advanced technologies with remarkable speed.
If translated into attribute points, the gifts were equivalent to: Body +5 Intelligence +5 Technical Ability +5 However, Victor suspected the bonuses provided far more than numerical increases.
There were hidden effects.
Subtle changes that couldn’t be measured directly.
His learning speed.
His memory.
His intuition.
Everything seemed enhanced beyond what simple attribute increases should allow.
As for gaining additional attribute points, the process wasn’t easy.
He could either purchase them using system points or earn them through special achievements.
Perk Points worked the same way.
Unfortunately, the exchange rate was absurd.
Ten thousand points for a single attribute point.
Ten thousand points for a single perk point.
The pricing was so outrageous that Victor sometimes wondered whether the system was deliberately mocking him.
After all, most kills only rewarded between one and five points.
The highest reward he had ever received was thirty-five points.
That came from eliminating a highly skilled Militech operative during one of Arasaka’s covert conflicts.
At that rate, gaining even a single attribute point required years of effort.
Victor sighed.
The system was powerful.
It was also incredibly stingy.
Just then, a notification flashed across his office terminal.
[You have received a new internal message.] Victor raised an eyebrow.
Even before opening it, he already knew what it contained.
A few seconds later, he confirmed his guess.
His promotion order had finally arrived.
The appointment letter displayed prominently across the screen.
At almost the same moment, an incoming communication request appeared.
Victor accepted it.
The image of a broad-shouldered man immediately appeared on the monitor.
Heavy combat cyberware was visible beneath his uniform.
The man’s stern expression suggested decades of military experience.
Victor recognized him instantly.
Teranda Rams.
Director of the Public Security Division.
One of the most influential figures within Arasaka’s Security Department.
And more importantly…
One of the leading representatives of the Hawk faction.
“Victor.” Rams wasted no time.
“Your appointment has been approved.” His eyes narrowed slightly.
“From this day forward, you are officially the Director of the Special Operations Department.” Victor remained calm despite the significance of those words.
“I understand.” Rams continued.
“Remember your position.” “Remember who supported you.” “And don’t disappoint us.” The warning was obvious.
The Hawk faction had helped clear obstacles to his promotion.
Now they expected results.
Victor nodded.
“I won’t disappoint Arasaka.” For several seconds, Rams studied him silently.
Finally, he gave a brief nod.
“Good.” The call ended.
No congratulations.
No small talk.
No unnecessary pleasantries.
Corporate executives rarely wasted time.
The purpose of the call had been simple.
To remind Victor exactly who had helped him reach his new position.
And to make sure he understood that favors were never free.
Victor leaned back in his chair.
His gaze drifted toward the massive Arasaka logo displayed outside his office window.
The promotion represented far more than a title change.
It gave him direct control over one of the most elite combat organizations in the corporation.
The Special Operations Department.
Within the Security Department, this division held unique status.
To outsiders, it was comparable to an elite military special forces unit.
To Arasaka insiders, it was something even more dangerous.
A weapon.
A weapon used only for the corporation’s most important missions.
The Security Department itself was already one of Arasaka’s three core pillars alongside Manufacturing and Banking.
It was the organization’s primary instrument of force.
Without it, Arasaka wouldn’t be able to maintain its influence across the globe.
Officially, the Security Department answered to a single individual.
The legendary retainer of Saburo Arasaka.
Shintaro Takayama.
Although his title was Director of Security, everyone understood the reality.
His authority exceeded that of ordinary department heads.
In practical terms, he functioned more like a president overseeing the entire security apparatus.
Yet despite his immense authority, Takayama rarely involved himself in daily operations.
His primary responsibility remained the protection of Saburo Arasaka himself.
As a result, most operational matters were handled by a Deputy Director appointed through the Board of Directors.
Currently, that position belonged to Michiko Arasaka.
Saburo’s granddaughter.
A highly capable executive whose influence continued to grow within the corporation.
Victor knew plenty of stories about her.
Including rumors involving her unusual relationship with Adam Smasher.
Though whether those stories were true remained unclear.
Corporate gossip was often as unreliable as gang rumors.
Victor wasn’t particularly interested in finding out.
His attention remained focused on the future.
As Director of Special Operations, he now commanded one of Arasaka’s most valuable assets.
The department answered directly to Security Department leadership.
Few people possessed authority over its operations.
And that authority came with immense responsibility.
By now, news of his promotion had spread throughout the corporation.
Messages began arriving continuously.
Department directors.
Regional executives.
Corporate managers.
Many sent formal congratulations.
Others simply wanted to establish a relationship with Arasaka’s newest rising star.
Victor replied politely to each message.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Among all the messages, two stood out.
One came from Abernathy of Intelligence.
The other came from Jenkins of Counter-Intelligence.
Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Those two names carried significance.
Both individuals were powerful.
Both were ambitious.
And both were actively competing for influence within Arasaka.
The conflict between them remained relatively subtle for now.
Neither side had found the perfect opportunity to undermine the other.
But Victor knew it was only a matter of time.
Corporate warfare rarely involved bullets.
More often, it involved ruined careers, manipulated reports, financial sabotage, and carefully orchestrated scandals.
If an opportunity appeared, neither Abernathy nor Jenkins would hesitate to strike.
Victor sent identical replies to both.
Professional.
Neutral.
Uncommitted.
Then he returned his attention to more pressing matters.
His promotion meant someone else had lost their position.
Officially, the previous director had retired.
Unofficially…
The story was much darker.
The man had grown old.
Years of combat operations and extensive cyberware had destroyed his body.
Eventually, he could no longer perform at the level Arasaka demanded.
After completing his final operation, the corporation decided to “optimize” him.
A polite corporate term.
A cruel reality.
Arasaka stripped away most of his combat cyberware.
His savings were drained through medical fees and contract clauses.
His authority disappeared overnight.
And then he was discarded.
Not because he had failed.
Not because he had betrayed the company.
Simply because he was no longer useful.
The reason nobody protested was equally simple.
The man lacked influence.
He wasn’t a trusted retainer.
He lacked powerful backers.
And he hadn’t accumulated enough achievements for Arasaka to consider preserving his status.
So the corporation left him with just enough money to survive and quietly pushed him aside.
Victor stared out the window.
Far below, thousands of employees moved through Arasaka Tower.
Every one of them believed they were building a better future.
Some would succeed.
Many would fail.
A few would become legends.
Most would eventually be forgotten.
That was the reality of corporate life.
The previous director’s fate served as a reminder.
Power was temporary.
Loyalty had limits.
And in Night City, even the most valuable people eventually became expendable.
Victor slowly closed the report.
Then he looked toward the city skyline.
Today, he had become Director of the Special Operations Department.
Tomorrow, he would climb even higher.
Because unlike the man before him, Victor possessed something nobody else in Arasaka had.
The Cyberpunk System.
And he intended to use it to reach the very top.
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