This world was a bit different from what I knew.
The game was purely fun.
Sure, it was a game purchased during the summer special 80% discount, but it was enough to feel the charm of the cyberpunk genre.
Of course, I heard it became the laughingstock of people when it was first released. However, thanks to the outstanding DLC releases and constant post-launch support, the game achieved quite a level of polish.
Having scraped through all the sub quests, DLC stories, NPC scenarios, and main quests, I was planning to decorate my library with the game.
Then, at that moment, an option I hadn’t initially seen caught my eye.
[ – DLC Challenge – A Vagabond from Abroad]
[ – You are from the slums of Neo Japan. For some reason, you have come to Neon City… SKIP]
“Who even looks at stuff like this these days?”
I cleanly skipped the character background.
I barely glanced through the attributes.
After all, I had already achieved 100% completion and wasn’t planning to level up a new character.
And then,
This was my biggest mistake.
If I could borrow one of Doraemon’s tools, I would choose the time machine without hesitation. The moment I’d want to use it would be right now.
However, I didn’t have some all-purpose cat robot like someone else.
When I came to my senses,
“?”
I had entered the game I had played.
Side EP. The Beginning of Someone Else
By the way,
My new name registered in the city database was ‘Suzuki Taro.’
I went to the municipal office to complain about the sudden name change, but unfortunately, the name change service was paid. Damn it.
And the credits in my account were barely enough for three meals.
I had to quickly find a job, showing the adaptability of a Korean.
“Welcome!”
I got a job at a (crazy) Japanese steakhouse.
Fortunately, my ethnicity hadn’t changed.
I had diligently spent 2 hours customizing my character, yet my face remained as it was.
Only the background settings had changed.
The good thing was, I had a ‘Neural Computer Chip,’ a must-have for cyberpunk living, embedded in my body.
If I hadn’t had that, I would probably be hanging out with homeless people in the lower-class alleyways.
Years passed as I clung to that (crazy) Japanese steakhouse.
As a fine cyberpunk citizen, I slowly realized that this world was ‘quite’ strange.
Waking up at 6 in the morning and finishing work at 2 in the morning was unavoidable.
Thinking back, I resolved my meals and lodging all inside the restaurant, so it was essentially like working 24 hours.
If I ever get the chance, I’ve decided to start a union in this world.
Anyway,
I happened to catch that fact.
《What an amazing feat! An unending combo! The winner of this season’s “IRON FIST World Tournament” is ‘RabbitGangDude’ from the team ‘Warriors Are the Best!’》
《Woooow!!》
It was the broadcast of the NCB24 gaming channel.
If my memory serves me right, the person on the screen was a named boss character that appeared in the original game as a ‘fugitive.’
Since when did a fugitive reveal their face and participate in a ‘fighting game tournament’?
Given that it was a world tournament, it couldn’t be small either.
Honestly, I couldn’t understand.
How much couldn’t I understand that I nearly spat out my precious lunch made with the remaining ingredients?
“Pfuup!!”
“……”
The octopus-headed owner sitting across from me glared at me with veins bulging from his head.
However, my gaze remained fixed on the screen.
It was that shocking.
And the shock didn’t end there.
《The opposing team ‘The Ultimate Machines and Humans’ also put up a fight, but they were heavily affected by the newly mandated ‘Neural Acceleration Limit’ from this season!》
《It must be very disappointing for the two players.》
I once again spewed my food upon seeing the faces of the opposing team players.
It was inevitable.
“Pfuup─!!”
“……”
– Clatter.
The chopsticks the owner was holding broke.
I stared blankly at the holographic screen.
I looked at the names of the players written below.
Catherine and Eve.
The former was the name of the main character from the original game, while the latter was the name of a boss from the DLC story.
After being kicked out of the restaurant, I sat on the street and searched for information through the vision interface.
“…First, let me check the past records.”
Honestly, I never imagined that the past of this world would be different from what I knew.
Later,
The information I found was remarkably ridiculous.
“…What’s with the engagement ceremony? …Wait, the DLC main quest hasn’t even started yet, right? No, no, no. It would make sense in this timeline with the DLC boss acting like that. …Damn it, what kind of news is this saying a dragon came out from underground in a cyberpunk setting?”
I rubbed my forehead in despair.
I’m not usually someone who talks to myself this much, but working in hospitality got me into that habit.
Anyway,
This couldn’t be explained by a ‘butterfly effect.’ The reality was that by the time I came to, a considerable amount of time had already passed.
It was physically impossible.
If so, then the cause was clear.
“…Is it this person?”
‘Shun Lee’…
He was the man mentioned in the engagement ceremony article.
And if I looked closely, I could tell all the characters in the game were linked to incidents involving this ‘man.’
…How unfortunate.
If he were a fellow Korean, I would swallow my pride and go beg, but his name sounded Chinese.
I don’t have any racist thoughts, and I became cautious after being robbed by a lower-tier lower-lower organization member of Heishukai in the back alley a long time ago.
I looked at the face of the man in the engagement article and quietly admired it.
“What a handsome guy…”
If I had credits, I’d enhance myself too.
“Jealous, I envy you…”
It seemed like I was swamped with trying to figure out how to make a living.
– Grumble.
I was hungry since I had interrupted my meal.
I took out an electronic cigarette. It was left by a guest who didn’t come back for it, so it naturally became mine.
Is it unclean to use something someone else touched?
I stopped caring about that once I started chomping on the tubes released by LAD as pet food.
“Phew….”
The hazy smoke obscured my view.
It was a new product famous for mental care. Due to the narcotic substances, my brain heated up instantly, then calmed down soon after.
Now, what to do next.
When I had spat out food once before, I was forgiven by bowing my head, but spitting it out a second time would be tantamount to challenging a duel.
A giant cleaver-wielding boss’s image flickered through my mind.
“There weren’t any boss monsters…”
I bolted out without waiting to see my footsteps.
Fortunately, I had no belongings to pack for my accommodation.
Hmm.
…Should I try being a mercenary like in the game?
I shook my head.
Could someone like me, who had lived peacefully in modern society, become a mercenary?
That was absolutely out of the question.
Though I had roughened up a little while living in this gritty cyberpunk world, I knew my limits.
I pondered long, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly confusing.
Well, that’s thanks to one of my character attributes, ‘Unchanging Humanity.’
It was also why I was leisurely smoking the ‘Mental Care Drug.’ I didn’t have to worry about side effects.
Of course, I didn’t realize at first, but it became clear when a scavenger almost ripped out my insides.
I managed to escape from a container box filled with blood water, all thanks to this attribute.
Well, enough reminiscing about the past.
It’s the moment of choice now.
Fortunately, I had gathered a good amount of credits. I didn’t have a hobby of spending money, nor had I received a low wage.
“Phew….”
I got up from my seat.
It was about time for rumors to start spreading that the ‘part-time worker from the Japanese steakhouse had gone outside.’
It was widely known among the locals that I wasn’t a big spender. If I stayed another 10 minutes, a vagabond would surely come looking for me.
I flipped my messy hood and covered my face with a thick mask.
In the end,
Life is about wrestling with dilemmas.
I stepped into the dark alley.
*
So, what did I do?
【Welcome. We sincerely welcome you back to Neo Japan, Mr. Suzuki Taro.】
I immediately made a getaway faster than light.
The character ‘Suzuki Taro’ was from Neo Japan.
Naturally, Neo Japan, the city of innovation, had strict immigration checks, but it didn’t apply to me since I was a citizen.
This was something I had initially planned.
Neon City wasn’t exactly a safe city. There was no reason for me to stay there, not knowing what the future held.
Using my experience from working in the steakhouse, I was able to land a job at a high-end Japanese restaurant.
“……Hmm.”
“…Um, nice to meet you.”
The owner was a very quiet person.
Usually, such people are the real deal. I didn’t think he would draw a blade just because someone spat food.
I heard the story that his daughter got married in Neon City.
Anyway,
Work was extremely busy, but the conditions were much better than when I worked in Neon City.
After briefly explaining my painful life story, the owner kindly even gave me an advance.
To someone who had spent most of their savings on a terminal ticket, the owner seemed like an angel.
“You’re an angel without wings…!”
“……”
The cold gaze of the owner pained my heart, but it’s often good to express gratitude with some exaggeration.
Knowing the importance of safety better than anyone, I scouted the most ‘secure’ condominium in the area to rent.
I should greet the neighbors first.
Therefore,
I approached the ‘house next door.’
I cleared my throat and pressed the bell with the (159 yen) gift I had carefully prepared.
[…Who is it?]
“Is anyone there? I just moved in next door, and I wanted to say hello.”
The voice coming from inside sounded very young.
The surveillance camera lens above the door sparkled. It seemed like they were quite security-conscious.
Clunk, clunk, clunk. After several unlocking sounds from inside, the door slowly began to open.
The one who appeared from the door was a ‘little one.’
“Um, where are your parents?”
I asked, and the little one frowned.
It may be inappropriate to say this on first meeting, but he was a very wise-looking little one.
He had dark circles under his eyes, as if he were troubled about something.
The little one scrutinized me from head to toe and then took a deep breath.
“…You should say hello to the elder!”
“?”
That was a crazy little one.
For reference,
This crazy little one introduced himself as ‘Bill.’ He also added that he was 95 years old.
“……”
I knocked the little brat on the head and went back home.
What? Speak reasonably, will you…?
I seemed to have found the wrong house.
