Chapter 217

I’d hung out with Malcolm for a while, but we eventually split up as it was getting late.

 

Giving me time to look over my updates.

 

*Quick Hacks skill level up!*

 

*1 Perk Point Gained.*

 

This was big all on its own. I’d finally managed to get Quick Hacks to 10. That last level up from 9 to 10 was really a slog, but I’d managed it.

 

The feeling of surety in how to twist and alter Data on the fly felt surreal. What was a Quick Hack, but a long hack already programmed and ready, why not alter some variables when needed on the fly?

 

It was a big jump, but as always the perk was even bigger.

 

*Level up achieved!*

 

*One Stat Point Gained.*

 

*One Skill Point Gained.*

 

I had leveled up once after killing so many Daemons.

 

Dozens of the things had been spawned in that Server, it wasn’t quite as crazy as that first Server that Yoko had tossed me into, but it was still an excellent spot for some practice.

 

I’d have to see if I could go through it solo at some point. Sure, balancing defending against Daemons, and clearing server fortifications like that Moat room would be a bit more than normal, but it was still just a server.

 

Most importantly though, I needed to choose with my Stat point. Aaaah! It was always so hard to choose! I wanted more Adaptation for my Sandy, and I wanted more numbers for everything else!

 

I sighed and just looked at Intelligence.

 

It was probably the best choice. Start getting some real specialty with Netrunning, especially since Sasha had asked me to join in her little challenge.

 

Honestly, I did want to impress Lucy. Although she was probably my superior in netrunning. Ugh. She probably wouldn’t be using her deep dive port, but the girl was trained to dive beyond the Blackwall. She would be scary to deal with.

 

I sighed and just decided. Pushing the point into Intelligence.

 

I startled as I heard a negative tone and then looked at my Intelligence still at 14…. Wait.

 

Intelligence 14 (14) Due to Cyberization, Maximum value has increased by 4.

 

“Ah.”

 

I was already maxed out without more cyberware…

 

I forgot.

 

Looking around I relaxed, driving through Night City meant no one had just seen me do something so stupid.

Ugh. Okay, so should I go get something new to pump my Intelligence Cyberization, or just start leveling another Stat? Or I could put another point into my Sandy…

 

I sighed, I really should focus on getting my netrunning up. I closed the stat page as I was at a red light and made a call.

 

*Kid everything alright?*

*Hey Vik, everythings fine. I’m on the lookout for something. You know of any good Ram Upgrades, or something? I’m getting ready for a netrunner challenge in a week, and I want to boost myself as much as I can.*

 

The light changed and I started driving.

 

*I don’t have anything in stock, nothing that would be compatible with your netdeck. Let me put out some calls, for my favorite customer I’ll see what I can do.*

*Thanks Vik. I’ll try to look around as well, if you find something let me know?*

*Sure kid. Talk to you soon.*

*See ya!*

 

I changed my calls as I drove through the city.

 

*Motoko?*

*Hey Hiromi, I need some new cyberware, I already asked Vik about it, and he’s looking around, but I’m looking for a Ram Upgrade.*

*Oh! Okay, let me see. I have a list of Rippers that we worked with last time, I’ll ask around.*

*Okay just don’t promise anything right away unless it’s really good. I have Vik looking too.*

*Don’t worry Motoko! I won’t let you chip in some scop chrome! Just give me a minute! Bye!*

 

The call closed and I couldn’t help but chuckle, as always Hiromi was so energetic.

 

Alright that gave me time to look at the last reward.

 

The perk.

 

Quick Hacks 10, it honestly felt amazing to reach. An offensive skill finally reaching 10.

 

The list of perks as always was long, and I browsed through them as I drove, as I parked, as I rode the elevator up, as I flopped on the couch.

 

There were a lot of amazing options, but I had to pick just one.

 

Ninja Hacking: Learn how to slip hacks below notice.

 

The perk’s knowledge flooded me, and I had to stop for a moment and just close my eyes to process.

 

Mostly because it was just full of mathematics, and ways of thinking. Netrunning wasn’t a science really. There was an art to it. An understanding of how to insert a program to get the longest amount of time before it was noticed, ways to bypass human perception, and more.

 

It was all one more step to being able to Laughing Man anyone I came across. I was getting closer to being able to truly alter someone’s sight in real time, closer and closer to simply being a Ghost.

 

Hopefully Vik or Hiromi would get back to me soon.

 

—–

 

Despite having spent all day active on the net, my body didn’t get the message and I felt antsy as I paced the apartment. Hiromi had only sent a single update text that she was working on a lead, so I didn’t want to just go to sleep.

 

The information from the new perk still flowed through me, I was processing it, but I couldn’t relax.

 

My pacing stopped as I headed into my room and pulled out Musashi’s Katana and headed back to the living room. Drawing the blade I slipped into the forms relying on instinct to swing the blade.

 

I’d need to make some adjustments to my quick hacks. While the perk was mostly knowledge of what I could do, there were things I now understood about netrunning that meant with a few tweaks I could make all of my hacks more stealthy.

 

I wonder if I could entice Yoko with an even more stealthy Ping? I’d already called my older Ping a stealth Ping, but that had been arrogant. I could make it even less impactful on a network, I could upload it right to the face of a netrunner protecting a network and they probably wouldn’t even notice.

 

Well unless it was someone like Yoko.

 

The fact was she was still better than I was, I still had heights to reach.

 

I stalled, my blade held for a cutting strike above my head as I held it. There was a moment, a stirring along the back of my neck, I shifted, adjusting to face the door and then it opened a moment later as Jun walked in stopping as he noticed me with my Katana out.

“Motoko?”

“Hey Jun.” I greeted back and lowered my Katana, shifting into a completely casual position “I’m feeling antsy.” I told him and he just nodded.

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“Well, be careful in the apartment. I don’t want to explain to Fujimura-Sama why he needs to send someone to fix a cut in the wall.”

“I’d never! What do you take me for some sort of gonk, drawing a blade for the first time?”

“Yes.”

I narrowed my eyes and lowered my sword before pointing the sheath at him threateningly.

 

“Those are fighting words.” I said eyes narrowed, and he smirked, drawing his sheathed sword from his hip, pulling the blade out and laying it gently on a table near the door. I walked over and put my blade on the kitchen counter and then we both shifted. “Prepare to die.” I told him, and he snorted.

 

“Prepare to be humiliated.”

 

We charged and the sheaths smacked as we instantly fell into a rhythm.

 

“Foolish Nii-chan, you will be a good test for my progress!”

 

“Motoko… You’re embarrassing.” He told me to my face and I responded hotly, our ‘blades’ crossing and searching each other for weaknesses.

 

Jun was stronger. Annoying. But he was also more limited, his muscles, and strength were limited. Like a bodybuilder going for absolute gains, without realizing that he couldn’t even scratch his own back anymore.

 

I abused that, coming up from angles, where he couldn’t bring his strength to bear, and most importantly, I was just better than him.

 

I could taste his instincts, Jun had definitely been taught by Sensei, but I’d fought the entire Dojo.

 

I knew all the common motions and movements that sensei taught, and it was child’s play to put Jun right into a position where suddenly I flicked up and his sheath was flying out of his hands.