The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the towering Arasaka headquarters as Victor continued adapting to his new position.
Although he had officially become the Minister of the Special Operations Department, countless responsibilities still demanded his attention.
Promotions inside Arasaka were never as simple as receiving a new title and moving into a larger office.
Every promotion came with new enemies.
New opportunities.
And new political games.
A soft knock sounded from outside his office.
“Boss, I’ve sorted all the emails you requested.” Victor looked up from the reports spread across his desk.
“Come in.” The door slid open.
Canris entered carrying a company-issued tablet before respectfully placing it in front of Victor.
“I’m almost done here anyway.” “Understood, Boss.” The tablet contained dozens of messages that had accumulated throughout the day.
Unlike the classified communications he received through Arasaka’s internal systems, these messages came through his personal channels.
Most of them were unimportant.
Bills.
Investment notifications.
Luxury service memberships.
Various social invitations.
Victor skimmed through them quickly.
Then one particular message caught his attention.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“The Hawks again?” A faint smile appeared on his face.
“How many times have they invited me now, Canris?” The bodyguard thought for a moment.
“If I remember correctly, Boss…
this should be the third invitation.” “The third…” Victor leaned back in his chair.
“That’s becoming difficult to ignore.” There was an old saying.
Once was coincidence.
Twice was persistence.
Three times was intent.
And the Hawks were making their intentions crystal clear.
This latest invitation wasn’t a generic corporate gathering.
It was a personal invitation.
More importantly, it had arrived immediately after his promotion.
The timing alone revealed everything.
The Hawks wanted him.
The real question was whether he wanted them.
Victor tapped the desk thoughtfully.
Joining the Hawks carried obvious benefits.
At present, they represented one of the strongest factions inside Arasaka.
Possibly the strongest.
Supporting them would earn him considerable goodwill from members of the Board of Directors.
More importantly, it would place him directly within the sphere of influence of a very important individual.
Yorinobu Arasaka.
The name alone carried tremendous weight.
As Saburo Arasaka’s only surviving son, Yorinobu stood as the undisputed heir to the Arasaka Empire.
Officially, he wasn’t yet the ruler.
Unofficially, many executives already treated him as such.
Of course, things hadn’t always been that way.
Originally, Yorinobu had been the second son.
The spare heir.
The backup plan.
Then history intervened.
His older brother died during the infamous nuclear incident connected to Militech’s assault on Arasaka Tower decades earlier.
Most people knew the event through the stories surrounding Johnny Silverhand.
Victor couldn’t help finding that amusing.
Johnny’s version of history had become legendary.
Unfortunately, legends rarely matched reality.
Silverhand had certainly played a role.
But the true monster on that battlefield had been Morgan Blackhand.
A man whose combat abilities bordered on the unbelievable.
A man capable of facing Adam Smasher himself and surviving.
Even today, Morgan Blackhand remained one of the most respected names in Night City’s history.
Regardless of the past, the present reality remained unchanged.
Yorinobu stood alone.
No siblings.
No serious rivals.
No visible competitors.
And Saburo Arasaka was growing older.
Very old.
No one outside the highest circles knew the true status of the Relic project.
No one knew exactly how long Saburo intended to remain in power.
But everyone could see the inevitable future approaching.
An aging emperor.
A mature crown prince.
And countless ambitious officials eager to support the next ruler.
Naturally, powerful factions began gathering around Yorinobu.
The Hawks had become the largest among them.
Officially, the faction belonged to Yorinobu.
Unofficially, everyone understood one thing.
Nothing happened inside Arasaka without Saburo’s approval.
If the Hawks existed and flourished, it was because Saburo allowed it.
That alone made them dangerous.
And influential.
The benefits were obvious.
But so were the risks.
Victor knew exactly what joining would cost him.
He would gain allies.
But he would also gain enemies.
He would gain protection.
But lose some independence.
Every political favor carried a price.
Every alliance created obligations.
That was simply how power worked.
Still…
Power rarely came without risk.
Victor smiled slightly.
“The bigger the storm…” “…the more valuable the catch.” The saying felt appropriate.
After several moments of consideration, he reached his decision.
Refusing a third invitation would send the wrong message.
Especially now.
“Reply to them.” Canris immediately straightened.
“Yes, Boss.” “Tell them I’ll attend after I’ve completed the transition process for my promotion.” “Understood.” The matter was settled.
For now.
Victor moved on to the next invitation.
This one made him raise an eyebrow.
Arasaka Academy.
The annual opening ceremony.
His former school.
The institution responsible for training generations of corporate elites.
It was also the academy that future legends like David Martinez and Corpo V would attend.
In a strange way, that made Victor their senior.
Compared to the Hawks, this decision required almost no thought.
There were virtually no disadvantages.
Attending would strengthen his public image.
Improve relationships within the corporation.
And potentially allow him to identify promising young talent.
Talent was always valuable.
Especially inside Arasaka.
“Accept this one as well.” Canris nodded.
“I’ll make the arrangements.” Victor leaned back comfortably.
“Good.” The academy event would actually be interesting.
He was curious to see what kind of future executives Arasaka was currently producing.
Whether they were ambitious.
Capable.
Or simply arrogant.
The academy produced all three in abundance.
After reviewing the remaining messages, Victor finally handed the tablet back.
“Nothing else for now.” “Understood.” “If I need something, I’ll call.” “Of course.” Victor paused briefly before adding one final instruction.
“Send Brandt to my office.” Canris immediately nodded.
“Right away, sir.” The bodyguard departed.
The office door closed behind him.
For a moment, silence returned.
Victor gazed out across Night City.
His new position was already beginning to reshape his future.
The Hawks.
Arasaka Academy.
The Board of Directors.
Every invitation represented another piece moving across the corporate chessboard.
And somewhere beyond his office walls, other players were making their own moves.
— While Victor gradually settled into his new role as Minister of Special Operations, another story was quietly unfolding elsewhere inside Arasaka.
A young intern was about to become a full employee.
And her future was about to intersect with his.
Inside the Counter-Intelligence Department, Jenkins sat comfortably behind his desk.
The large man projected confidence and authority.
His expensive suit fit perfectly.
His expression remained calm.
Yet beneath that calm exterior lurked the ruthless instincts that had allowed him to climb Arasaka’s corporate ladder.
Across from him sat a young woman.
Short white hair.
Sharp features.
Professional makeup.
The standard Arasaka uniform.
And eyes filled with determination.
Her name was V.
At this moment, she was struggling to contain her excitement.
After years of study and months of internship work, everything she had sacrificed was finally paying off.
Jenkins folded his hands.
“Your academic results at Arasaka Academy were exceptional.” V sat straighter.
“You’ve also performed very well during your internship.” A smile appeared on Jenkins’ face.
“My instincts tell me you’d be a good fit for Counter-Intelligence.” For a second, V nearly forgot her professional composure.
Relief flooded through her.
“Thank you, sir.” Her voice carried genuine excitement.
“I won’t disappoint you.” Jenkins nodded approvingly.
“Good answer.” The truth was simple.
He genuinely valued her potential.
Capable subordinates were difficult to find.
Trustworthy subordinates were even rarer.
Jenkins knew that better than most.
Unlike many executives born into wealth and privilege, he had climbed from the bottom.
Every promotion had been earned.
Every victory had been fought for.
And every step upward had taught him the importance of surrounding himself with competent people.
V had caught his attention months ago.
Among all the interns he had monitored, she consistently stood out.
There were others with potential.
But V remained the most promising.
Which was exactly why he intended to cultivate her personally.
Then Jenkins opened a drawer and removed a data chip.
“Actually, V.” He placed it on the desk.
“I have a small assignment.” V accepted the chip.
“A new assignment?” “Take a look.” She inserted it immediately.
A holographic profile appeared before her.
A man’s face.
Professional records.
Operational history.
Promotion details.
V’s eyes widened slightly.
“The new Minister of Special Operations?” Jenkins nodded.
“Victor Vermilles.” The name carried considerable weight even inside Arasaka.
After all, his recent promotion had attracted significant attention.
“This is mostly routine.” Jenkins waved dismissively.
“Someone upstairs wants additional observation.” “So we’re auditing him?” “Not exactly.” Jenkins shook his head.
“The truth is, nobody expects to find anything.” That surprised V.
“Then why do it?” “Procedure.” The answer came instantly.
V understood.
Sometimes corporate decisions existed simply because someone important wanted them to exist.
No deeper explanation was necessary.
“Observe him for a few days.” Jenkins leaned back.
“Then file your report.” “That’s all.” V nodded.
“Understood.” Then Jenkins added something important.
“Oh, and one more thing.” V looked up.
“He knows exactly what Counter-Intelligence does.” Her expression immediately became more serious.
“Be careful.” For a brief moment, nervousness flashed through her.
Then she regained her composure.
After all, this was an opportunity.
A significant one.
If she handled the assignment successfully, it would strengthen her position inside the department.
Perhaps even accelerate her career.
And if Jenkins trusted her enough to lead the operation…
Then she intended to prove he had made the correct choice.
Besides, she would be allowed to select her own team.
That alone was valuable.
As she rose from her chair and prepared to leave, her thoughts drifted briefly toward Victor.
She couldn’t help feeling a little envious.
Some people seemed destined for greatness from the beginning.
Victor possessed family influence.
Resources.
Connections.
Talent.
His rise through Arasaka resembled a rocket launching toward orbit.
Meanwhile, she had spent years fighting for every opportunity.
Studying.
Competing.
Interning.
Working endlessly just to secure a foothold.
Life truly wasn’t fair.
Sometimes the distance between two people felt greater than the distance between a human and a dog.
Still…
V wasn’t the type to complain.
If she couldn’t inherit power— She would earn it.
And perhaps this assignment would become the first step toward building a future of her own.
As Victor accepted invitations from the highest levels of Arasaka, V unknowingly accepted a mission that would place her directly in his path.
Neither of them realized it yet, but their stories were already beginning to intertwine.
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