What kind of person was Valerie?
A textbook Street Kid.
She grew up in an orphanage, endured hardship from an early age, and spent her childhood being exploited as cheap labor.
When she finally escaped the people overseeing the orphanage, she killed several security guards during her escape and vanished into the streets.
She never joined a gang, but she was ruthless enough to survive on her own. Within a few years, she had become a mercenary.
Valerie started killing at fourteen.
Although she never became particularly famous before a conflict with a gang forced her to flee Night City, the nature buried deep inside her never changed.
When someone closes their eyes and sees endless flashes of blades and bloodshed, when countless severed heads seem to stare back at them from memory, that person is usually trapped in a life of violence they can never fully escape.
Because of that, Valerie hated living in New Orleans.
Compared to Night City, New Orleans was far too peaceful.
Outside the slums, the wilderness, and a handful of rough neighborhoods, the city was firmly controlled by corporations.
In the modern world, nations existed mostly in name. Real power belonged to corporations.
Arasaka remained the dominant force in Japan. Militech extended its influence throughout Europe. Kang Tao held enormous power across Asia, while Biotechnica maintained a strong grip on much of America.
When a single corporation controlled an entire city, the chaos that defined Night City simply couldn't thrive.
And without chaos, mercenaries struggled to survive.
Valerie had lived in New Orleans for over six years.
Six years.
An entire six years.
In that time, she had completed fewer than twenty jobs.
The highest-paying contract had earned her only $8,000.
Over six years, she had killed fewer than twenty people and earned less than $50,000 total.
Now she lived in a crumbling apartment, ate the cheapest food available, and could no longer afford basic utilities like showers and laundry.
It was driving her insane.
But what else could she do?
Work for a corporation?
Absolutely not.
Join a gang?
No interest.
Produce braindances?
The idea disgusted her.
As for selling herself, if she had wanted that life, she could have stayed in Night City.
Why would she come to New Orleans?
Which left one possibility.
Factory work.
Standing on an assembly line building dolls.
The thought alone made her grimace.
Shaking her head, Valerie grabbed her pistol and prepared to search for temporary work.
At the very least, she needed enough money for a shower.
With that goal in mind, she stepped out of her apartment and entered a corridor that smelled strongly of vomit.
Three homeless men sat in the stairwell drinking cheap alcohol. They laughed, cried, and spat on the floor between swigs.
Oddly enough, it reminded her of Night City.
She crossed the hallway and entered the elevator.
Immediately, she retreated into a corner.
Two men stood nearby exchanging drugs.
After enduring the ride down, Valerie finally stepped outside.
A gun was instantly pressed against the back of her head.
"You bitch."
A man wearing a cybernetic mask chuckled darkly as he tapped her skull with the barrel.
"You owe me eight hundred. If you can't pay, then at least get on your knees."
Valerie smirked.
"I never owed you anything, idiot."
She spun around and raised her pistol.
Bang!
The man's head exploded.
Valerie crouched beside the body and searched his pockets before picking up his handgun.
After examining it, she rolled her eyes.
"Idiot. You should've told me it was broken."
She tossed the weapon aside.
"Judging by your face, you're probably high too. Coming after me with junk like this."
She kicked the corpse.
"Now crawl into hell and bother someone else."
Stepping over the body, she walked out into the sunlight.
Then she stopped.
"Hmm?"
Her nose twitched.
The scent of blood drifted through the air.
Valerie frowned.
She sniffed again.
"Why is it coming from every direction?"
The smell was overwhelming.
It felt as though countless people had died at the same time.
Slowly drawing her pistol again, she moved down the deserted street.
After crossing an intersection, she reached a major road leading out of the slums.
The entire road was blocked by abandoned vehicles.
"Traffic jam?"
She narrowed her eyes.
Then a scream erupted overhead.
"AHHHHH!"
A disheveled figure suddenly crashed through a fifth-floor window.
Valerie looked up.
A woman.
A doll.
Without hesitation, Valerie rushed forward and caught her.
Her cyberware wasn't impressive, but her natural strength was more than enough.
After setting the woman down, Valerie questioned her and quickly pieced together the story.
Earlier that day, the woman had accepted a major $800 job involving three clients.
The men were sadists.
They tied her up and beat her relentlessly, promising an additional $1,500 afterward.
The abuse continued until she repeatedly drifted in and out of consciousness.
When she finally woke up, one of the clients' headless corpses was lying directly on top of her.
Terrified, she struggled free of the restraints.
The problem was obvious.
She had suffered severe injuries.
The clients who owed her money were dead.
And she was already drowning in debt.
Repairing her damaged skin would cost hundreds of Dollars at a black-market ripperdoc.
Without repairs, she couldn't work.
Without work, she couldn't pay for repairs.
It was a perfect trap.
Eventually, she lost all hope.
So she jumped.
She no longer cared what happened after death.
She simply wanted an end to the suffering.
After hearing the story, Valerie's frown deepened.
How had those men died?
And if it was only a few men, why was the smell of blood everywhere?
Following the trail, Valerie continued investigating.
Eventually, she uncovered the truth.
The answer wasn't Biotechnica conducting experiments in the slums.
Nor was it a corporate war.
Instead, a god had appeared.
A real one.
The voice she had heard in her sleep hadn't been a dream.
Someone had wiped out criminals all over the world simultaneously.
And those three men clearly qualified.
Learning the truth, Valerie's heart pounded.
She had only been gone from Night City for six years.
How had someone like this appeared there?
Someone who attacked Arasaka Tower.
Someone who publicly tortured Adam Smasher.
Someone who intercepted dozens of nuclear missiles launched by the NUSA.
Someone who declared his intention to kill Saburo Arasaka.
Valerie swallowed.
Then excitement filled her eyes.
If the world was about to descend into chaos, maybe her life would finally improve.
Everything seemed to lead back to Night City.
Maybe it was time to return.
Maybe...
A bright light suddenly caught her attention.
Valerie looked up.
A vehicle streaked across the sky.
The Rayfield Caliburn AV.
Its sleek frame, futuristic design, incredible performance, and absurd price made it one of the most luxurious vehicles on Earth.
Valerie licked her lips.
The world was changing.
The corporations were in trouble.
Maybe one day she could afford something like that herself.
Then she blinked.
Wait.
Why was it getting closer?
Closer.
And closer.
Valerie didn't believe she was important enough to attract the attention of someone flying a Caliburn.
Nor did she want to find out.
She quickly turned a corner and entered a blood-soaked basketball court.
Earlier, two scavenger groups had been fighting there.
The victors had been skinning survivors alive when Axel's judgment descended.
The winners died.
Then the losers died.
Now only corpses remained.
Walking through the carnage, Valerie felt strangely comfortable.
Places like this felt familiar.
She hated New Orleans.
She hated Night City.
Yet she couldn't seem to escape places like either of them.
Then she heard a familiar sound.
Buzz.
Buzz.
Valerie looked up.
The Caliburn was hovering over twenty meters above her.
Directly above her.
She quickly scanned the area.
"Shit."
Nobody else was nearby.
"Who the hell did I offend this time? This makes no sense. Why would someone flying a Caliburn be looking for me?"
Without hesitation, she ran.
Her outdated cyberware pushed itself to the limit.
Double jumps.
Wall running.
Vertical climbs.
She shot across nearby buildings like a rocket.
Inside the AV, Rogue watched in surprise.
"This one's good."
Everyone looked toward her.
"Her cyberware is ancient junk, but she's getting performance out of it comparable to Militech military-grade equipment."
Rogue glanced at Mann and the others.
Then she nodded.
"Axel, your eye for talent is much better this time."
She watched Valerie continue running.
"Don't underestimate her because she's poor. That girl has more potential than all these big guys combined."
Axel smiled.
"Of course."
Pulling his arm free from Lucy's embrace, he stood and walked toward the cabin door.
"After all, she's the legendary V."
The door opened.
Far away, Valerie instinctively looked back.
The moment she saw Axel, her entire body froze.
Her footing slipped.
She immediately began plummeting toward the ground.
"Fuck!"
She flailed wildly.
"How is it you?!"
Then she shouted upward.
"Help! I'm falling to my death here!"
The next second, Axel appeared beside her.
He caught her and stopped her fall instantly.
"Shit!"
Valerie steadied herself while gripping his arm.
"Be gentle, you bastard! You're practically crushing me!"
After regaining her balance, she glared at him.
"Of all the places you could've grabbed, why there?"
"Let's just say my reflexes were faster than my judgment."
Axel chuckled.
Then he landed and set her down.
Valerie rubbed the sore spot and sighed.
"How could I not know who you are?"
She grinned.
"The famous Night God. The guy everyone talks about online."
Then her expression turned curious.
"But why are you looking for me?"
"I don't exactly qualify as saint material."
She shrugged.
"Unless you're looking for a saint who spends her nights getting into trouble."
Valerie confidently extended her hand.
"Anyway, I'm V."
She smiled broadly.
"And it's an absolute honor to meet you."
Axel shook her hand.
"Just call me Axel."
He glanced at her and laughed.
"Seeing you alive and well is a relief."
Then he pointed toward the AV overhead.
"Don't waste time wondering how I found you."
He nodded toward the vehicle.
"I've put together a team."
A grin spread across his face.
"We're heading into Arasaka territory to cause some trouble."
He looked directly at her.
"Interested in joining us?"
Valerie's eyes lit up instantly.
"That sounds amazing."
She nodded without hesitation.
"I can leave right now."
Then she pointed at herself.
"But before that, can I use the shower on your AV?"
She groaned dramatically.
"My water bill is overdue, damn it."