Arasaka Academy stood as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in all of Night City.
Funded entirely by Arasaka Corporation, it was far more than a simple school.
To many families, it represented opportunity.
To others, it represented power.
And for a select few, it was the first step toward joining the upper ranks of the world’s most influential megacorporation.
Unlike traditional schools, Arasaka Academy combined aspects of both high school and university education.
Students attended regular academic classes, but they were also exposed to advanced subjects unavailable anywhere else in Night City.
The academy possessed resources ordinary citizens could only dream about.
Advanced engineering.
Corporate management.
Cybernetic development.
High-level chemistry.
Military theory.
Artificial intelligence research.
Even experimental material sciences.
Knowledge that could shape the future.
Knowledge that could make people wealthy.
Knowledge that corporations carefully controlled.
In theory, the academy’s workload wasn’t particularly demanding.
Students often enjoyed shorter schedules than many public schools.
However, appearances were deceiving.
The real value of Arasaka Academy wasn’t found inside ordinary classrooms.
It was found in the exclusive programs.
Private tutoring.
Advanced seminars.
Personal mentorships.
One-on-one instruction from highly qualified experts.
In an age where Braindances and AI handled most education, genuine human teaching had become a luxury.
A very expensive luxury.
Knowledge was power.
And power was always monopolized.
Certain information simply never entered public circulation.
Even when educational Braindances existed, access remained restricted to those wealthy enough or connected enough to obtain them.
The academy’s library was perhaps the greatest example.
It contained the largest collection of academic data in Night City.
Millions of books.
Countless research archives.
Massive chip databases.
Entire fields of study hidden behind paywalls.
Students received access cards upon enrollment.
Unfortunately, those cards required funding.
Everything required funding.
Even time itself.
Regular students were only allowed a limited amount of library access each week.
Three and a half hours.
That was it.
Barely enough time to scratch the surface of the knowledge stored inside.
More advanced sections demanded additional payments.
The higher one climbed, the more expensive knowledge became.
It was a system designed to produce results.
And above all else, it was designed to create loyal Arasaka employees.
That had always been the academy’s true purpose.
Most students came from corporate families.
Children of managers.
Executives.
Researchers.
Security personnel.
Others belonged to wealthy families with close ties to Arasaka.
Business partners.
Investors.
Influential allies.
A smaller percentage came from ordinary households.
Some came from poverty.
David Martinez belonged to that group.
For families like his, admission wasn’t simply an achievement.
It was a gamble.
A desperate attempt to change their future.
Sometimes it worked.
The successful graduates became Arasaka employees.
They earned steady salaries.
Corporate apartments.
Healthcare.
Security.
Yet for most of them, that was where the story ended.
Without powerful connections or extraordinary talent, advancement remained nearly impossible.
Many spent their entire lives occupying the same position.
Working.
Obeying.
Serving.
Until eventually they died.
Sometimes from overwork.
Sometimes during dangerous corporate operations.
Sometimes in ways nobody ever talked about.
A brief corporate announcement would be issued.
Compensation would be paid.
Their names would be forgotten.
Yet compared to the lowest levels of Night City society, they were still considered fortunate.
Every year, however, a few exceptional students emerged.
Geniuses.
Prodigies.
Individuals whose talents attracted attention.
Those rare people received scholarships.
Special assignments.
Corporate sponsorships.
Rapid promotions.
They became managers.
Executives.
Leaders.
The lucky few who climbed beyond their station.
Unfortunately, many promising students disappeared before they ever had the opportunity to prove themselves.
Night City was not kind to dreamers.
— “Minister Victor Vermilles.” A respectful voice interrupted Victor’s thoughts.
“I am Edward Kane.” The older man bowed deeply.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you.” Victor glanced toward him.
The face was familiar.
Immediately, the relevant information surfaced in his memory.
Edward Kane.
Board member of Arasaka Academy.
Head of Armed Cybernetics Research and Development.
Father of Kevin Kane, a future minor player in Night City’s unfolding events.
An experienced middle-level executive.
Valuable.
Competent.
But politically limited.
The kind of person who formed the backbone of a megacorporation.
Victor nodded.
“I remember you.” Edward’s expression brightened immediately.
“If I recall correctly, you’re overseeing that particular project.” The older man straightened slightly.
“Yes, Minister.” His voice carried obvious excitement.
“I was hoping to seek your opinion on several matters.” Victor considered him for a moment.
Then nodded.
“After my speech.” Edward visibly relaxed.
“I have some free time today.” The researcher immediately bowed again.
“You have my deepest gratitude.” Victor simply waved him off before continuing toward the ceremony venue.
Behind him, the principal hurried to keep pace.
The man looked like he was terrified of falling behind by even half a step.
Victor found it mildly amusing.
As they approached the gathering area, security teams spread out and established a perimeter.
Students.
Parents.
Faculty members.
Corporate guests.
Thousands of eyes turned toward Victor.
Many recognized him immediately.
Recent news coverage had made him one of the most recognizable figures in Night City.
Whispers spread rapidly through the crowd.
“That’s him.” “The new Special Operations Minister.” “He looks younger than I expected.” “So young and already at that level…” “Quiet.” “Don’t say things like that here.” Victor ignored the conversations.
He had experienced similar scenes countless times.
Public attention no longer affected him.
Yet among the crowd, one face immediately stood out.
David Martinez.
The distinctive hairstyle made him impossible to miss.
Victor’s gaze lingered briefly.
Nearby, Gloria Martinez followed the direction of the crowd’s attention.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then she looked at David.
“It would be wonderful if you became someone like that someday.” David nearly choked.
“Mom.” Gloria laughed awkwardly.
“Alright, alright.” Even she knew it sounded unrealistic.
Still, she couldn’t help imagining it.
David, however, remembered something entirely different.
The Braindance recording.
The impossible sword strikes.
The mountain of bodies.
The terrifying figure that moved faster than the eye could follow.
Looking at Victor now, it was difficult to connect that monster from the recording with the refined executive seated before the crowd.
Victor appeared calm.
Elegant.
Almost scholarly.
Nothing about him suggested the violence David had witnessed.
The contrast felt surreal.
At that exact moment, Victor’s system suddenly activated.
Several translucent notifications appeared before him.
[Mission Triggered] Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The first notification appeared.
[Guide David Martinez onto the Corporate Path.] Reward: 1 Attribute Point Reward: 2000 Achievement Points A second notification immediately followed.
[Guide David Martinez onto the Path of an Edgerunner.] Reward: 1 Attribute Point Reward: 2000 Achievement Points Victor’s expression remained unchanged.
Then the third notification appeared.
[Eliminate David Martinez.] Reward: 2 Attribute Points Reward: 5000 Achievement Points For the first time, genuine interest flashed across Victor’s eyes.
Three missions.
Three completely different futures.
Each one was achievable.
If events followed their original course, David would eventually become an Edgerunner.
That path required almost no effort.
Guiding him into corporate service would be equally simple.
A small favor.
A scholarship.
A recommendation.
Someone with David’s personality would become fiercely loyal afterward.
Perhaps even more importantly, future interactions with Maine’s crew could generate additional opportunities.
Victor was curious.
Very curious.
The system clearly treated David as an important variable.
What would happen if David joined Arasaka?
Would the elimination mission remain available?
Would new mission branches appear?
And what about Maine’s crew?
Currently, the system classified them as neutral.
A direct result of Victor’s earlier actions.
Would David’s involvement alter that status?
The possibilities were intriguing.
Victor turned slightly toward the academy principal.
“After the ceremony.” The principal immediately straightened.
“Yes, Minister?” “I want the transcripts of every incoming student.” The man’s eyes widened.
“Immediately.” “Of course, Minister Victor.” The principal practically sprinted away.
Victor watched him disappear.
Then he looked once more toward David Martinez.
The future legend stood among hundreds of ordinary students.
Completely unaware.
Completely insignificant.
For now.
Yet Victor knew something nobody else present understood.
The future of Night City often began with moments exactly like this.
A chance encounter.
A simple decision.
A path chosen.
And today, David Martinez had unknowingly become a piece on Victor Vermilles’ board.
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