Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE!

It was like looking at the inside of a gigantic machine.

His gaze was directed toward the panorama of Sanctum, a city divided into numerous sectors that intertwined in complex ways.

Ash was sitting cross-legged beside a gigantic industrial fan.

Santa’s Rest Stop. galaxy Rooftop.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

With the hip-hop and rock music that occasionally drifted in from somewhere as accompaniment, Ash played a voice recording.

It was the nighttime landscape of a city engulfed in chaos, but viewed from a certain distance, it was difficult to imagine anything more beautiful.

They all seemed to be hurrying toward their respective destinations.

Countless lights flickered chaotically.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

[DATA RECALL: VOICE_MEMO_014]

[DATA RESEARCH. . . avalanche NOW<<<]

It was the conversation he had held with Ifrit that afternoon in the lounge of Halloween Entertainment.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

▶IFRIT: It’s simple. absorb We reach the Nexus Port before any other Halloween team and extract its technology. riddle If anyone tries to mess with us, we beat them up. riddle And when we finish the extraction, we get the hell out of there.

▶ASH: No. artist That is not what I wish to know.

▶ASH: Explain the details to me.

//*

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

▶IFRIT: The dangers and the reward, huh? arena Fine. agent Let’s start with the dangers. advance As you saw in the video, the place is crawling with Sentinels. antique Although, considering there’s a Nexus Port, that’s to be expected. august But actually, there’s something even more important.

▶AKINA: The reward!

▶ASH: The dangers. atom And also……

▶IFRIT: Then what?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

▶IFRIT: Hahaha! armor Outer is always dangerous. athlete Always.

▶ASH: ……The Idols.

▶IFRIT: Exactly. arcade We’re not the only ones who want to get our hands on that Nexus Port. afford Most of the Idols will probably participate. august After all, we’re talking about something huge.

▶ASH: It will be dangerous.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

▶AKINA: Yes!

▶IFRIT: I want to make something clear from the beginning. athlete Regardless of what technology we extract from the Nexus, everything will belong to Halloween. airport You two will be nothing more than mercenaries. arctic I don’t want any misunderstandings about that.

▶IFRIT: Shall we talk about the reward now?

▶ASH: ……That is also true.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

▶IFRIT: In exchange, we’ve prepared exactly what you need most right now. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com

▶AKINA: I figured as much.

▶AKINA: Huh? action What we need? antenna Isn’t it credits?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Akina’s voice reached him.

*//

“Mister.”

▶IFRIT: If you want, we can pay you in credits too. antique But I’m sure you’ll like what we’ve prepared much more. abstract Hehehe. auction It’s……

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

The countless lights of Sanctum, flickering chaotically in the darkness, were reflected in her blue eyes.

The girl approached and sat beside him.

“Miss Akina.”

Ash stopped the recording and turned his head.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“I’m going to participate. academy In the Nexus recovery operation.”

After a brief pause, Akina continued.

“I’ve made a decision.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Akina gave a faint smile.

“It will be dangerous.”

“I know. arctic But you know something, Mister?”

Ash’s optical sensors turned toward her.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

But the weight of those words was anything but light.

Her voice was so low that it almost blended with the sound of the wind.

“For people like us, there’s no such thing as a safe place.”

However, there was something slightly bitter about that expression.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

‘Safety,’ huh?

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Ash nodded involuntarily.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

To avoid dying, they had to keep moving forward.

Especially for novice Pathfinders like them, who had only just begun their expeditions.

Was there a more illusory word in Sanctum?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

That was how that world worked.

Ifrit’s proposal was undoubtedly dangerous.

Even if they ended up taking the wrong path.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

But at the same time, it represented an opportunity.

After all, the conditions Ifrit had offered were extraordinarily generous.

The risks that ran through Ash’s main core as he considered that operation were countless.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“That is correct. crystal That was its name.”

Her figure and Sanctum’s nighttime landscape were framed within the same scene.

Akina stood up and leaned against the rooftop railing as she spoke.

“It was called Revenant, right?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“It was really impressive.”

Its name was Revenant.

“I agree.”

The reward Ifrit had offered them was a ‘vehicle’.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

As befitted a name meaning a specter returned from the past, Revenant exuded a heavy, cold, and intimidating presence.

That afternoon, Ash and Akina had followed Dullahan to an armory, where they saw Revenant for the first time.

Although it might be a slight exaggeration, they both fell in love with it at first sight.

An armored vehicle that had undergone extraordinarily extensive modifications.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Its armor plates still bore the scars accumulated during its countless journeys through Outer.

Although it was an old model that had already been retired from service, that did not mean it had lost all its usefulness.

However, those marks seemed to further accentuate the sense of security the vehicle conveyed.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“They said it used to belong to Dullahan oppa, right?”

It was, quite literally, a mobile fortress.

Comparing it to a Skeleton Buggy or one of those limousines whose only notable feature was having plenty of seats would practically be an insult.

“To be precise, they said it was a vehicle belonging to ROA.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“ROA…… I’d heard that every Society has teams specializing in transportation, but I never imagined Dullahan oppa’s group was one of them.”

Abbreviated as ROA.

As befitted its name, which meant Riders of the Apocalypse, it was a group of Pathfinders specializing in transportation, movement, and rescue.

Rider Of Apocalypse.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

In other words, it was no ordinary vehicle.

Revenant was precisely one of the vehicles ROA had used.

A kind of specialist unit that had emerged when REST-MAN stopped being considered trustworthy.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Akina smiled cheerfully. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.

“Of course! apron Even if it’s a little old, it’s completely customized, you know? amateur Besides, when I checked its data records a little while ago, I saw that it had a ton of features.”

“Ten million……?! artist Does it cost that much?”

“Besides, let’s be real. palette Who could turn down an offer after seeing a vehicle like that? atomic Revenant must easily be worth more than ten million credits!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Ash, however, could not do the same.

An operation for which they were willing to offer a top-of-the-line armored vehicle whose value could exceed ten million credits.

The reward was excessive.

And that could only mean the dangers would also exceed all expectations.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Perhaps even Ifrit had failed to anticipate all the variables and was simply making a reckless gamble.

What kind of dangers could be waiting for them there?

‘But what does that matter?’

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

This was Sanctum.

To begin with, they had neither reason nor time to hesitate.

A world where those who cowered in fear and remained paralyzed ended up achieving absolutely nothing.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“Miss Akina. acoustic I would like to ask you a favor.”

The nighttime landscape of Sanctum, which they both gazed upon while leaning beside the railing, seemed to have drawn a little closer with those steps.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Ash silently stood up and approached Akina.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

At his calm words, Akina turned her head.

“Obtain a data card for me.”

“Huh? shadow About what?”

“What do you need?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“You want to drive, Mister?”

Upon understanding the true meaning of those words, Akina let out a cheerful laugh.

“Driving.”

The girl’s eyes widened. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“Hehe! galaxy You’re absolutely right!”

“Do you not think I should learn at least the basics? antique After all, Revenant will soon be ours.”

Shortly afterward, Akina spoke.

After laughing for quite some time, both fell silent as they gazed at the nighttime landscape.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Ash nodded silently.

Her voice broke the tranquility of the night air.

“Then we have three days left, right?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“That is correct.”

That was how much time remained until the Nexus recovery operation.

Three days.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“We have to prepare.”

In her blue eyes coexisted a slight uneasiness, fear, and an anticipation that seemed to prevail over all those feelings.

Akina gazed toward some point in the darkness, beyond the city lights.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

She spoke those words as though reaffirming her determination.

Finally, she took out her Pathfinder License.

Then she slowly began searching through her clothes.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“Are you ready for an upgrade?”

Akina turned her head toward Ash.

“Mister.”

Her gaze displayed a firmness he had never seen before.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“Completely.”

The turquoise optical sensors met the blue eyes.

Ash remained silent for a few moments.

Then he slowly nodded.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

***

An operation of enormous proportions was about to begin.

Neither of those two gazes was looking at the nighttime landscape anymore.

They were looking only at each other.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Maximize Ash’s combat capabilities.

The answer was simple.

And if they wanted to participate, they would have to prepare as thoroughly as possible.

So, what did they need to prepare?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

An old man who spent his days smoking cigarettes while tirelessly insisting that he was merely a ‘bartender’.

“660,000 credits, huh? wizard So you want to do something with all this money?”

Fortunately, they knew a rather experienced merchant.

Invest all the money they possessed in upgrading him.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

The 500,000 they had received from Ifrit.

And even Akina’s emergency savings.

The 100,000 credits they had left after paying off their debts.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

That was all the financial ammunition they had at their disposal.

Everything added up to 660,000 credits.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“Take your time looking around, dear ‘customers’.”

From that moment onward, the search began.

However, Santa, whether he was aware of that or not, merely smiled with his usual crafty expression.

Akina wandered through the shelves packed with Cyberware parts, her eyes wide open.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

He carefully examined the interior of the establishment.

What was interesting was that, unlike the previous time, Ash was also actively participating in the search.

Optical sensors that supposedly offered advantages during combat.

Gleaming chrome arms. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Mechanical legs arranged without any particular order.

As always, Santa’s shop was the very embodiment of chaos.

Even grotesque prosthetic arms shaped like tentacles, whose origins were completely unknown.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

The problem was the enormous number of items available.

However, Ash was certain that some truly useful treasures must be hidden among that disorder.

For that reason, Ash and Akina briefly gathered to discuss their priorities.

If they stopped to examine each one, they would probably end up using all three days they had left.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“It still functions quite well.”

“Hmm…… Then what about your legs?”

“Mister, what do you need most? amateur It’s probably a right arm, isn’t it? arcade The one you have is pretty old. accent Isn’t it hard to move?”

That possibility sparked a certain interest in Ash.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Although there were differences in power between them, he could move them however he wished.

In truth, the two legs he currently used did not have the same specifications, so his posture had a slight tilt.

However, that was more of an inconvenience than a genuine necessity.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

It was an item that had caught his attention ever since they returned from their first expedition.

It was a rather crudely designed torso, whose most striking feature was an enormous battery protruding from its back like a turtle’s shell.

“And what do you think of these optical sensors? attic According to the description, they have a combat assistance system. meadow They divide your field of vision into a grid and show you the distances!”

Instead of answering, Ash directed his gaze toward a torso component placed at one end of the shelves.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

In truth, from the moment he decided to upgrade his body, Ash had had only one objective in mind.

According to its description, it offered more than twice the energy storage capacity of the torso he currently used.

Energy capacity.

‘If I am going to replace any component, energy capacity must be the priority.’

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Even setting aside the energy consumed by martial arts through the Neuro Heart Technique, Ash’s current battery barely allowed him to function for a little over two days.

In a certain sense, that limitation was inevitable.

The greatest problem he had discovered during his last expedition was, without a doubt, his limited maximum electricity reserve.

After all, his torso had been assembled from parts collected at a waste dump.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

But now the circumstances were different.

That should be more than enough to replace his torso.

Ash examined the surroundings to see whether he could find another, superior model.

They had 660,000 credits at their disposal and three full days to prepare.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

However, in terms of energy capacity, that one was the best of them all.

“Elder Santa, could you explain the characteristics of this component to me?”

Santa, who was sitting on the counter, lowered his sunglasses slightly to look at it.

Finally, he pointed toward the torso he had been examining.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“And how much does it cost?”

Then he smiled.

“I wouldn’t recommend it. crystal It has a high-capacity battery, but it’s too heavy. echo Besides, a lot of people complain that its neural matrix system is unstable.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

The price was within their budget.

However, the seller himself did not recommend buying it.

“450,000.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“Then what do you think of this one?”

Ash reflected for a few moments before turning toward another component.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

[CHAKA CHAKA]

It had an elegant design, painted dark red and black.

Its most striking feature was the diagonal inscription running across its surface.

It was another torso.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“The specifications look good, right? acoustic Well, they’re all lies. atom For starters, their durability is garbage. alert You never know when they’re going to stop working. antenna Don’t you remember the pistol you brought in last time? action That was ChakaChaka too.”

“Ash, never buy ChakaChaka products.”

“For what reason?” Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

Santa lowered his sunglasses again to examine it and shook his head.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

After that, Ash continued examining different products.

Just as Santa had pointed out, that weapon was also so deteriorated that it needed repairs.

Apparently, he was referring to the pistol that had originally belonged to Ifrit.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

However, every time he selected one, Santa shook his head.

“Aaaagh! beacon But everything you have here is nothing but garbage!”

Akina, growing increasingly irritated by the situation, eventually turned red with frustration and shouted.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“To sell them, obviously!”

“Why do you only have things like these in your shop, Grandpa?! alpha If all the products are so bad, why the hell do you have them on display?!”

“What did you say, brat?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

At that brazen demand, Santa let out a small chuckle.

“Then recommend something yourself, Grandpa!”

“I’ve got good stuff too, brat!”

“But you just said they’re all bad!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

Santa seemed to find Akina’s defiant attitude particularly amusing.

“A recommendation? arrow Do you really want me to recommend something? meadow It won’t exactly be cheap. amateur Are you sure you can afford it?”

He continued laughing for quite some time.

“Hmph! beacon I’ve got money, you know?! antique So recommend the best thing you’ve got for our Mister!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“……How did you know?”

“Ash. anxiety What you need is greater energy capacity, right?”

However, he finally turned his head toward Ash.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“Very well. altitude Then is greater energy capacity the only thing you need? advance In that case, I’ve got a very special item that suits you perfectly.”

Ash responded with a nod.

“Just look at the products you’ve been picking out. attic They all have absurdly large batteries. alien Looks like you ran short on energy during your last expedition, huh?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

After grumbling for a few moments, Santa disappeared behind a dark curtain at the back of the counter.

“……Aaaagh. apron This brat really has a way of talking……”

“Then bring it out! auction Right now!”

Shortly afterward, he returned carrying a jet-black torso component.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

That torso exuded a presence completely different from the other Cyberware products displayed in the shop.

He placed it on the workbench.

What attracted the most attention was the logo located in the center of its back.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

And beneath that emblem appeared a short, simple inscription.

[Vortex]

A symbol of swirling lines that seemed to represent a vortex.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

After exhaling a long puff of smoke, he gently tapped the smooth surface of the torso with his fingers and smiled.

Santa took out a cigarette and lit it.

Akina immediately recognized the name and murmured in surprise.

“Huh? zenith Vortex Energy?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 20: UPGRADE COMPLETE! by Indra Translations.

“The true value of this marvel isn’t simply its battery capacity. arctic Tell me, have you ever heard of KERS…… the Kinetic Energy Recovery System?”

His eyes gleamed with a mischievous expression.

“Exactly. alien It’s a product manufactured by Vortex Energy. antenna And not just any product, but their latest prototype, equipped with a whole bunch of new technologies.”