『 Check-in successful! Host has obtained the 〈Divine Iron Man Cyberware Suit〉! 』
The system notification rang out — and in the next instant, a tidal wave of schematics, parameters, and manufacturing logic poured straight into Vash's mind.
For a few stunned seconds, he could only sit there. Then his lips curled into a grin he couldn't control.
Jackpot! A legendary Iron Man suit!
Mechs had always been every boy's dream, especially Tony Stark's Iron Man.
Once the initial rush passed, Vash quickly skimmed the suit's information.
It was called a cyberware suit because the system-rewarded Iron Man Cyberware Suit wasn't a perfect replica of Marvel's armor. It came with downgrades and differences.
Vash accepted that and kept reading.
The design was close to the Mark 50 (L), and the deployment method had been converted to a nanoparticle coating, normally stored in a triangular pendant on his chest and activated with a double tap.
Heat, cold, and impact resistance were all maxed out. Underwater operation, high-altitude flight, and nanoparticle infiltration were no problem. The AI assistant F.R.I.D.A.Y. could answer Vash's questions and handle fully automated intelligent hacking.
Those were the upsides. Next came the downgrades.
Most of the MK50's weapon systems and special abilities hadn't been preserved, and space flight was temporarily unavailable...
Still, the Mark 50's nanotech transformation, durability, and flight alone would let him swagger through Night City. It wasn't as lethal as the original, but it fit the cyberware world of 2077.
The suit's arms, shoulder pads, and lower legs could all be transplanted as cyberware. In other words, top-tier 2077 mods like monowire, mantis blades, and gorilla arms could be seamlessly attached to the suit.
Vash could use 2077's cyberware tech without surgery.
And the grand goal — burning Night City down and building a new order from the ashes — had just taken a massive step forward.
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The night passed without incident.
The next day, Vash woke naturally, as usual.
「Incoming call: Jackie Welles」
Vash answered and opened with a barrage of insults, "Jackie, I thought you died on some woman's belly. You've been ghosting for three days."
"V, I got Misty. I don't mess around outside." Jackie chuckled, "Careful with that mouth, choom — gonna get you sued for defamation."
Then his tone shifted — proud, almost smug.
"Hermano, I got two pieces of good news. Which one you wanna hear first?"
"Normally it's one good and one bad." Vash said.
"Not today. Two good news. For you." Jackie said, grinning through the line, "A huevo."
"Then just say one. Whatever."
"Alright. First one — about that place you asked me to look into." Jackie cleared his throat like he was reading a listing, "Found you a spot. Tenement in the slums — no smart renovations. Remote as hell, nothing worth exploiting. Corpos don't care, NCPD doesn't bother. Folks still living there are mostly old, sick, weak… disabled."
"Not bad." Vash said, genuinely pleased, "Lock it down for me."
He'd been in the apartment nearly half a month already, and it felt like his limbs were getting soft. And really — how could anything built by Arasaka or their competitors not include data collection?
Cutting off from smart systems entirely was the safest choice.
"And the second good news?" Vash asked.
Jackie's voice lowered, "Not over the phone. Come down. I'm waiting at the food street below, choom."
"Alright."
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After a quick wash and a change of clothes, Vash headed downstairs.
The food street was already alive — steam, grease, noise, vendors yelling over each other. Jackie's broad frame was impossible to miss. He sat at a tiny stall like it was his personal throne, tearing into a greasy burger with zero shame.
"V!" Jackie lifted it up with a grin, "Want a bite, choom?"
"You go ahead." Vash wasn't interested in a street burger that looked like it had been slapped together in a hurry — especially not the mystery 'meat'.
"Man, you're picky." Jackie said, taking another huge bite. Synthetic sauce smeared at the corner of his mouth, "Ain't gonna kill you."
Vash: "That's 'cause you've never had the good stuff."
Jackie: "V, I've been to fancy places too, you know. This is good, mano."
"The stuff you eat doesn't even scratch the surface of real food. One day I'll make you a proper burger — one that'll put that sad slab of meat to shame." Vash pointed at Jackie with mock seriousness. "Before that, you should upgrade your tongue. So you don't drop it when you finally taste something worth a damn."
Jackie laughed hard, "Heh — then I'm looking forward to Chef V."
"Cut the crap." Vash said, "What's the other good news?"
"Right. Business." Jackie finished his fish balls in a few bites, paid, and stood, "You know why I've been hard to reach these past few days? I wasn't out partying. I got a big job, choom."
"A big job?" Vash raised an eyebrow, a faint suspicion forming.
Was the rescue mission about to start?
"That's right." Jackie held up both hands, eyes bright, "And the client is none other than Hanako Arasaka." He spread his fingers wider, "After it's done… at least this much, hermano."
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T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
If you want 20 chapters ahead, smut chapters or spicy images of this novel for just $5, or enjoy a large catalog of good novels with excellent translations (free or starting at $1.5): MrBlackWing (you know where to search)
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)