"You—you—you—you're a Wizard?"
Jackie was tongue-tied, speaking in utter disbelief.
"The real deal."
Asa withdrew his magic:
"I originally wanted to get along with you as an ordinary person, but as things stand, I have no choice but to reveal my true self."
He grabbed Jackie's hand with such strength that Jackie couldn't resist, and said:
"This isn't the place to talk. Follow me back."
The light of teleportation flared up; Asa had long ago set the coordinates to the divination shop.
A moment later, candle flames flickered inside Old Man's Divination Shop.
The two sat across from each other at the psychic table. In the candlelight, Jackie Welles's breathing was slightly heavy.
"A Wizard?"
"Yes, I am a Wizard, genuine and true. Just as I said before."
"No, I mean, you're really a Wizard... I thought..."
"Treating others with sincerity is my most trivial virtue; there's no need for surprise."
"As for why there are Wizards in the real world, all the answers are in that novel I gave you."
"So you're a character from a novel?"
Black lines appeared on Asa forehead:
"How could I possibly be a character from a novel?"
Asa pondered for a moment, thinking:
"But then again, maybe. With such a massive cheat, I really do seem like the protagonist of some brainless web novel..."
Banishing those thoughts from his mind, Asa continued:
"Our world and your world are like two parallel lines that should never intersect. But a certain person with an ancient bloodline suddenly punched through a vertical line, allowing the two worlds to briefly meet."
"You're really a Wizard! Quick, teach me! I want to use magic too!"
Jackie was so excited he nearly lunged in front of Asa to kneel and shout 'Master'.
"Sorry, this world lacks a Source of Power. There is no mana in the air, so learning magic from scratch is fundamentally impossible."
Asa told Jackie a despairing truth, but just as Jackie's heart sank, the tone suddenly shifted.
"However, it's not entirely impossible. If you want to become a transcendent, there might be other ways, such as..."
"What ways?"
Asa intentionally kept him in suspense.
"Actually, I came here with a goal, or rather a deal. I hope you can help me find someone."
Asa pulled a photo from his coat. It was a woman:
She had sharp, aAsa-white hair, emerald eyes, and a long scar on her cheek like a wild rose blooming by the roadside.
She wore a cream-colored shirt and dark brown leather armor, with a steel sword on her back, her hand poised to draw it.
From any angle, she was a beautiful and deadly woman.
"Her name is Ciri, most likely."
Asa said solemnly, "It's because of her that I came to this world. Find her, and only when the two worlds intersect can I return."
There was another way!
Like the protagonist of a movie suddenly touching the other side of the world and gaining a path for growth, Jackie felt equally excited upon hearing there were other methods.
Amidst his excitement, Jackie took the photo, not forgetting to ask for details.
"So is she like you, a natural human?"
Jackie Welles asked.
Since Triss in the original work had stopped Ciri from taking the Trial of the Grasses decoctions, she was actually a normal human capable of bearing children; her white hair was due to her bloodline.
"She is a natural human, but she is also a Witcher. Also, it's best not to make a move against her."
Asa warned,
"Once you attack, you're enemies. I can't guarantee I can save you before you become a corpse."
"Got it!"
"So, about those other ways to learn magic?"
"Please read the book."
Asa said, as all the relevant knowledge was hidden within the novel.
Jackie swore that when he got back, he would thoroughly read this novel called 'The Witcher' to cram on the world-building and everything else.
God, having to read such a thick book... wasn't there a shard or a speed-reading version?
Jackie felt a headache coming on.
At the end of the conversation, Asa asked as if casually: "By the way, Jackie, do you know any big shots in the corporations?"
Chatting heart-to-heart with Jackie and sharing some secrets was ultimately aimed at finding Ciri.
The timing of Ciri's arrival in this world was completely uncertain, and the power of the masses is great. Jackie was more or less a mid-level cadre in the Valentinos and had some influence; this wasn't just a pointless display of power.
With this, the big black guy, Jackie, the Militech contacts he'd deepen later, and Queen Rogue... he'd touched about a tenth of the powers in Night City.
As a diviner, he didn't have the overwhelming power of a Witcher, so he had to take a more indirect route.
And the rewards were simple:
The desire for transcendent power was enough to keep Jackie running errands.
Changing future fates and using small tricks to fool Dexter DeShawn.
Daily hypnosis and brainwashing to turn that Militech agent into a mole embedded in the corp.
As for Queen Rogue, well, he hadn't decided how to 'deeply' interact with her yet.
Setting up an altar to invite Johnny's spirit to possess him and then sleeping with Rogue?
No way.
After seeing Jackie off, Asa entered a state of meditation.
...
The next morning, as soon as the psychic shop opened, Misty saw a tall, burly figure sitting by the door, diligently flipping through a thick book.
"Jackie, what are you doing here?!"
The goth girl was shocked. Generally, Jackie only came to see her at night; during the day, everyone had their own business to attend to.
And looking at him, he had clearly been sitting in front of the door all night.
Hearing her, Jackie looked up, glanced at Misty, and said:
"Ah, it's you, Misty."
Then he looked back down and continued reading the novel, looking completely obsessed.
"Jackie, what's wrong?"
Misty crouched down with concern; Jackie's state seemed almost possessed, something was very wrong.
Jackie didn't answer, still enthusiastically flipping through the book.
"Holy crap, is that what Witchers do?"
"Misty, do you think I could become a Witcher?"
"Huh?" Misty was stunned.
The Witcher novel Asa gave him was actually one he had compiled himself.
The book told the story of a Witcher named Roach, riding his warhorse Geralt, slaying monsters in different regions, and getting embroiled in one conspiracy after another.
The story took place in a parallel world. Besides Witchers, that world had elves, dwarves, mages, and a whole series of fantasy settings.
Jackie deduced that based on Asa performance last night, he must be a sorcerer from the book.
And since the book was written from a Witcher's perspective—man, Witchers were cool!
A steel sword, a silver sword, numerous unique skills, a healthy lifespan, various schools, mastery of martial arts, traveling across a continent of primitive beauty, and receiving the love and respect of the common folk.
And the book said that to become a Witcher, one only needed to survive the Trial of the Grasses and drink the mutagenic decoctions.
A sense of yearning suddenly arose in Jackie's heart.
Asa didn't intend to mislead him.
But thinking about it, a Witcher who knew magic, Alchemy, and close-quarters combat—wasn't that an all-around character sheet?
Never mind if their strengths weren't as long as others'; their weaknesses weren't as short either, right?
As for the Witcher transformation Jackie was obsessed with, Asa had his ways.
Incidentally, Asa had confirmed a fact last night: the V of this world, or rather Valerie, was indeed a Corpo-rat by start.
Because last night, Jackie had said he knew a Corpo named Valerie; the two were old acquaintances and had done some small business together.
Later, this woman named Valerie was recruited into Arasaka Corporation's intelligence department due to her excellent interview results.
Jackie even asked if he needed to introduce the two of them.
Getting to know her would be best. At this time, Valerie hadn't reached the position of second-in-command of Counter-Intelligence yet; she was still a junior employee, so there was a chance to build a relationship and invest in her.
Besides, since Misty and Rogue weren't giving up any 'romance routes', he had to get one from V. Otherwise, Asa wouldn't even have the desire to continue in the 2077 World.
In the original game, compared to Judy who had a better character model, he actually had more of a soft spot for Panam and V.
The sun was shining today, perfect for basking.
Asa opened the door to the divination shop. A moment later, a man in a sharp suit, covered in expensive corporate Cyberware, walked straight into the shop.
"It's you."
Asa looked at him through his Erudite Glasses. This was Agent No. 1, whom Asa had hypnotized and brainwashed a few days ago. After being ordered to come daily for 'treatment', he arrived at Asa shop right on time every day.
"Any important info today?"
Asa asked.
"Regarding the one you're looking for, the Arasaka netrunner, there's a lead!"
"Oh?"
Asa was intrigued:
"Let's hear it."
Under the agent's methodical narration, Asa finally learned where Militech's intel came from.
It actually came from Arasaka's own intelligence department. For some reason, it leaked, and Militech got wind of the trail of that escaped Arasaka netrunner.
The location data was currently in the hands of this agent's superior, a Militech agent named Gabri, who was the leader of a Militech special operations team.
This was a great opportunity.
Asa grew alert.
On one hand, he could plant moles in both Militech and Arasaka's Intel departments, and on the other, he could save the netrunner.
And wasn't V currently a member of Arasaka's Counter-Intelligence department?
The credit for taking out a Militech agent was currently unclaimed.
It was all coming together!
Asa reinforced the brainwashing, ordered the team member to return, and set up a contact method.
Bypassing modern tech communications, Asa set up a long-distance telepathic magic for the agent. Once activated, the agent would establish a brief two-way link with Asa, after which the magic would expire.
This move could perfectly bypass Militech's Cyberware monitoring of its agents.
After letting the agent continue his undercover work, Asa called over Jackie Welles, who was obsessed with 'The Witcher' novel next door, and said seriously:
"Jackie, I need you to contact your friend Valerie immediately. I have something to say to her."
...
David Martinez's exam results were ideal. Following his mother's expectations, he successfully got into Arasaka Academy.
Today was the opening ceremony of Arasaka Academy, and all freshmen had to attend.
Ordinary people couldn't understand the meaning of 'Arasaka Tower'. Not every skyscraper was called Arasaka Tower, and not every Arasaka university was called Arasaka Tower Academy.
Arasaka Tower was an honor reserved only for Arasaka's headquarters or major branch centers. Only the Tokyo HQ, the North American branch in Night City, and the European branch in Paris, France, could be called Arasaka Tower; the rest were just Arasaka Buildings.
Arasaka Tower and Arasaka Building might look the same, but their military strength was worlds apart.
Arasaka Tower had independent military forces and defenses. Whether from the front, underground, or the sky, autonomous defense robots and guards could give any intruder a run for their money.
And Arasaka Tower Academy was the number one ranked academy in Night City.
Staring up at the towering black monolith, David Martinez felt little joy or pride.
In his home in Santo Domingo, the megabuilding was like a giant slum, with trash everywhere, peeling walls, and public facilities that all required payment.
Then look at this place, where even the weeds growing randomly by the roadside were meticulously trimmed.
He didn't belong here.
He'd gotten into the academy, but the expensive tuition had already drained his mother's savings. Besides that, he had to provide his own BD and simulation equipment for classes, the high prices of which were daunting.
Before he left, his mother Gloria's smile seemed to echo in his mind:
"David, study hard. You must survive, live like a real person."
But even if he graduated from Arasaka Tower Academy, would he really be able to enter Arasaka Tower, just as his mother envisioned?
No.
Arasaka's manufacturing plants, Badlands farms, tuning workshops, and so on—weren't those also potential destinations?
Did a family of ordinary background really think that getting into Arasaka Tower Academy meant an instant rise to the top?
Staring at the black tower, it felt as if it were about to swallow David whole.
While he was dazed, a white-haired woman in a sharp suit suddenly walked out from the base of the tower.
"Fine, fine, I got it. Jackie, how could you just give my info to someone else?"
The white-haired woman was wearing an Arasaka Corporation uniform, her cybernetic eyes flashing blue, clearly in a call with someone.
Walking casually out of Arasaka Tower while grumbling, this Arasaka employee walked right in front of David Martinez and gave him a careless glance.
For some reason, David felt instinctively nervous, as if facing one of those high-and-mighty big shots.
Seeing his Arasaka Tower Academy uniform, the white-haired woman gave a barely perceptible nod, then brushed past David.
15-year-old David's mind went blank; he only felt that the woman's aura was incredibly strong. Was this what an Arasaka Tower employee was like?
In three years, would he be able to become someone like that and not let his mother down?
With anxiety about the future, David walked into Arasaka Tower Academy in the Corporate Plaza.