Inside Rogue's office, Johnny removed the Temperance mask.
Night City's queen of fixers nearly fell out of her chair in shock.
"Holy shit! Arasaka Saburo—?!!!"
"What Saburo my ass, Rogue. Don't tell me you can't recognize me anymore."
Johnny squeezed his crotch with a familiar gesture.
That motion unlocked long-buried memories.
Rogue stared at him, stunned.
"Mother of— You… Johnny?!"
"Ha! Always love seeing you freak out, you crazy old bat."
For a moment Rogue looked touched—then immediately disgusted.
"Don't use Arasaka Saburo's face to say crap like that to me. I'll have nightmares for a month. What the hell is going on? Wasn't Saburo dead? How the fuck did you crawl into another dead man's body?"
"Because of that damn V!" Johnny grumbled.
"V?"
Rogue blinked—interest suddenly piqued.
"Tell me everything."
So Johnny did.
Everything he knew.
Including the Relic chip, Soulkiller, all of it.
"Shoved me into the body of the guy I hate most. You know what I felt when I woke up and looked in the mirror? I puked so hard I nearly blacked out. If I'd had a gun I would've put a bullet straight through my skull! Tell me—doesn't that make V a goddamn—"
"President V did fucking GREAT!" Rogue's eyes lit up like spotlights.
Johnny: "Huh?"
"You're in Arasaka Saburo's body. That makes YOU the legitimate CEO of Arasaka. If the father didn't die, the son can't take over. Yorinobu's current status is completely illegal. He had no right to seize the throne. President V must've predicted exactly this and put you into Saburo's head for this very moment."
Rogue slapped the table.
"Shit, I don't admire many people, but this time—V played every card perfectly. I'm honestly impressed."
Johnny was speechless.
Rogue continued excitedly:
"This means the moment you return to Arasaka Tower, Yorinobu's usurped authority collapses instantly. His entire faction becomes rebels. Then Arasaka's loyalists will fall in line behind YOU. We won't even need to fight half as hard—V's whole plan becomes ten times easier!"
Johnny frowned.
"So you mean… V counted on me helping her?"
"Of course. Why else resurrect Arasaka Saburo's body?"
Rogue narrowed her eyes.
"And she kept you at her side deliberately—because she knew you'd eventually accept the truth."
"Accept WHAT truth?" Johnny growled.
"That V isn't the villain in your story, Johnny."
Rogue crossed her arms.
"She's the hero of Night City."
Johnny froze.
Rogue sighed.
"Look… You know me. I'm not the type to worship anyone. But V? That girl puts her money where her mouth is. What she's done for this city? No one else could've. And now the whole damn city follows her willingly."
Johnny looked uncomfortable.
"The city's just been brainwashed."
Rogue snorted.
"That's what you call it? Schools being built? Hospitals reopening? People walking the streets at night without getting mugged or shot? Wages going up? Kids actually having futures? If that's brainwashing, then we've needed that kind of brainwashing for fifty years."
Johnny had no response.
Rogue leaned forward.
"Face it. V revived Night City. The least you can do is not fuck things up for her."
Johnny glared, but Rogue wasn't intimidated.
"And besides," she added lightly, "you kind of owe her your life."
Johnny looked away.
Rogue tapped her holo-comms.
"I'll handle spreading the truth. I'll mobilize every fixer in every district to back your identity. With your face—Saburo's face—and the right announcement, you'll shake Arasaka HQ to its core."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. Now get out of here. I've got a war to help win."
Later, on his way out, Johnny passed through a refugee shelter.
A little boy ran up to him.
"Sir, thank you for protecting us."
"I didn't fucking—"
Before he could finish, another little girl came running.
"Johnny!"
Johnny blinked—instinctively turning around—
but the one who answered was the boy.
"Alt!"
Johnny stared, stunned.
The boy named Johnny grabbed the girl's hand.
Alt said, "Johnny, I'm scared."
Johnny (the kid Johnny) squeezed her hand.
"Don't be. I'll protect you. And this uncle will protect us too."
Alt looked up at the rockerboy.
"Uncle, are you joining the militia too? Mama says everyone who joins is a hero. Uncle… what's your name?"
"Hmph."
The rockerboy muttered under his breath, "This trick is way too cheap."
"What?" the girl didn't hear.
"I said—"
Johnny stood up and removed the Temperance mask.
"My name is Arasaka Saburo."