Parkview Tower

A few minutes later...

Sora was seated on the hood of the Porsche, a smile hidden beneath his helmet. Now, it was him bombarding Judy's IDn with messages, coaxing her to come out of the hotel. Making her respond angrily, compelled to follow the strict and slow protocol as she accompanied his mother in the exclusive Arasaka Hotel. Not only his mother was there but also another member of the Arasaka family, which made her nervous upon finding out. The main reason for the stringent security protocols at the hotel.

While he continued to tease Judy, Sora noticed Oda, his mother's faction security chief, descending from the central control trailer and walking toward him with obvious resentment that he couldn't entirely conceal behind his professional demeanor.

Oda couldn't help but feel irritated at the lack of respect and discipline emanating from his master's grandson, displeased by the way Sora was casually sitting in his car when he should have been in position, standing guard.

Upon seeing him, Oda's mind filled with doubts about how his strict and upright master, could have changed so much to let his grandson become so undisciplined. He suspected that perhaps raising him in the "despicable" Night City played a part, the very place where his master had chosen to retire—an idea that Oda himself couldn't comprehend, as he eagerly counted down the hours until he could leave this "unpleasant" city.

The main reason for Oda's irritation was that, despite his practically healed face, his pride wasn't, after losing to the young man. In a way, Oda had to admit that the young man reminded him of his monstrous master, as he seemed to have inherited or copied his fighting mentality. Seeing the same wild grin that his master got when he enjoyed a fight... on his grandson.

Who defeated him unarmed and called him "useless", internally making him doubt himself and his abilities, for as the young man said; it was too big for him, being in charge of protecting someone as important as Hanako Arasaka.

Oda sighed before approaching the Porsche, leaving all his dissatisfaction and personal doubts behind, returning to being the professional he needed to be as the temporary security leader in charge of the combined forces of the two Arasaka factions present. Since Sora was one of the few security personnel attending the Gala itself, Oda approached him to explain the protocol and the travel plan in the convoy to Parkview Tower, where the Gala would take place.

Still, the first thing Oda said upon arriving was; "I still can't believe you're the master's family..."

"Ahmm... again with that, Oda-chan? You and Goro-Kun are disciples of Ojii, so, in a way, given how old you are, it's like you're my uncle-codisciples... Don't you think our dear Master would enjoy seeing his disciples argue and fight each other, wherever he may be now?... we'll never forget you... old man!" said Sora, as if he were prematurely burying his grandfather, pointing a finger skyward.

This instantly angered Oda due to Sora's use of "chan" with his name and his foolish pose, as if he were playing around. "Boy, you really-..." Oda was about to retort when he interrupted himself, realizing something that made him ask; "Wait!, how do you know about Goro-san?"

"Ah!... for the same reason I know about you, from Ojii, of course." - Sora replied, somewhat surprised by the sudden question.

"Has the master spoken to you about us?" - Oda asked, trying to contain his enthusiasm.

"Eh! Yes! Of course, he has... all the time (lie)... although he doesn't usually talk about his time working for old Saburo, he does mention when he trained his unit (truth) and about his talented disciples (lie)," - Sora said, mixing truth with lies, starting to understand the kind of person Oda was based on his reactions to his words, appearing to be someone eager for recognition.

"I see..." - Oda responded shortly, trying to hide the corners of his mouth lifting. "Here, take this, it's our plan for the trip to Parkview Tower. Don't act individually and stick to your role as a member of the security team, following the orders embedded in this chip," said Oda, handing Sora a black chip with red details and the Arasaka symbol.

"Hmm," - Sora responded with a brief affirmative noise, not bothering to look at the chip, as he had no intention of inserting it into his system, instead leaving it in his jacket pocket.

Seeing him ignore his orders, Oda could only sigh and say, "You're lucky." Oda looked toward the hotel's top floors before adding, "If Taka's security chief were here, instead of me... he probably would've shot you for your loud entrance without hesitation."

Sora simply smiled and calmly replied; "You're talking about Smasher, right? You're right, he would've opened fire the moment he saw me, but not for the reason you think. Besides, he's not here."

Oda looked at Sora somewhat surprised to hear that name, not because he knew the famous Adam Smasher, but because he knew he was the security chief of the Taka faction. Something that happened after Musashi left Arasaka, and even though it was known by everyone that Smasher worked for Arasaka, the information of his real position within the corporation, as Yorinubo's security chief, was only known by a few inside Arasaka.

"How do you know he's not here?" - inquired Oda, now completely focused on Sora.

"A 'Fool' told me..." - said Sora, chuckling under his helmet before erasing it, stopping the joke and hopping out of his car with a little leap, facing Oda and adding seriously - "The same one who told me about how his boss Yorinobu is still in his 'tough' negotiations, from his last meeting with his favorite prostitute, Ms. Evelyn Parker. He's been locked up with her in his penthouse at the hotel for two days now. I must add... that Yorinubo insists that Ms. Evelyn calls him in a 'familiar' way, which makes me sick and angers me quite a bit."

Sora confronted Oda, speaking with such a cold tone that it made Oda take a step back, involuntarily comparing it to Hanako's, angry tone. This involuntary comparison made him feel more intimidated by Sora than when they fought.

Surprised by the highly personal information Sora was sharing about someone like Yorinobu Arasaka, which even Oda, as the head of security, had no idea about – not even the name of the person he was "meeting" and certainly not what kind of things they were up to. In contrast, the young man in front of him seemed to be fully aware of it all... almost as if he was... spying on them.

"In any case... Smasher... has been pretty much locked up inside the Arasaka Tower since the Ebunike explosion and his "splash" in Night City's bay. He only leaves the tower twice, both times to massacre people – once a group of 21 Scavengers, and the other time a small group of 8 Maelstrom, without a leader.

And from what some fixers I know have told me, he's willing to buy any information about the explosion, true or false... So, Oda-chan, believe me when I say I'm leaving nothing to chance," - Sora finished speaking, gazing intensely at the perplexed Oda due to all the information he had shared.

This information was obtained from the F.o.o.l system that Sora ordered as soon as he learned about Yorinobu and Smasher coming to the city, to keep a close eye on Evelyn Parker, who was currently working at Clouds, and on Smasher from the moment he set foot in Ebunike Port

Sora's words left Oda speechless. Not only did he know the location of Adam Smasher but he was also aware of his movements, something even the corporation had no clue about, given that no one had dared to interfere with Smasher in his current state. Even Oda hadn't said anything when he ended up having to do part of his job as head of security.

Unable to understand how the young man in front of him was privy to all these details, it only increased Oda's suspicions about him, leading him to ask, "What are you planning?" trying to decipher the implications of his extensive knowledge.

Oda didn't immediately stop him, out of respect for Sora`s grandfather and his master, waiting to hear Sora's response and act accordingly after. However, just as Sora was about to respond, Oda touched his earpiece, interrupting him as he received information from the group inside the hotel about Hanako's exit. Oda looked at Sora for a few seconds, making it clear that this was not over, before heading towards the limousine parked at the hotel's entrance.

-

A few seconds later, more security members emerged from inside Konpeki Plaza.

The imposing figure of Hanako Arasaka stepped out, dressed in an elegant black dress with red details. The dress was carefully designed to blend styles, with the top resembling a kimono, featuring long and wide sleeves tied together by a bright red bow. The bottom, on the other hand, gave a Western gala dress look, with a long black skirt revealing one of her legs as she walked.

The black parts of the dress's upper section were made of a somewhat transparent material, which Sora didn't particularly like, as it barely covered his mother, except for the red floral details. Overall, it gave an elegant and provocative image, yet simultaneously unapproachable due to her cold expression and makeup matching the dress's colors: red lips and black eyeshadow.

Accompanying Hanako were her elegant Iron Pet, Niobe, her assistant Yumeko, and a group of four bodyguards, all dressed in black suits. Shortly after, a blue glimmer from the hotel caught Sora's attention, and his eyes fixed on... his "client," who gracefully followed Hanako a few steps behind.

She was dressed in a beautiful white suit with a high slit that practically bared one of her illuminated legs, just like her arms and the center of her chest. She wore long gloves crossing her chest and stockings, both glove and stockings transparent, nearly invisible, highlighting the bright light running through them in a digital pattern, in shades of blue and "violent," the same colors as her new hair dye: a dark blue base with violet streaks on the outer part.

Judy's appearance was attention-grabbing, not just because of her dress, but her overall image, with illuminated arms and legs making her a stunning futuristic vision that dazzled anyone who looked at her - including Sora, who stood motionless, mesmerized by her presence.

Seeing that her son's attention had shifted away from her, Hanako glanced at Judy with an approving look, satisfied with her son's choice, yet a hint of envy crept in at how easily Judy had captured her son's attention. Judy, noticing Hanako's look, nodded in acknowledgment and separated from the group, heading towards the stiff Sora.

Smiling happily to see him in a sleek black 3-piece suit with silver accents and the more refined version of his helmet that he had kept hidden, Judy couldn't believe he could pull off such an outfit in such a short time. Sure, he must have had it ready all along, only pretending otherwise to playfully tease her and, secretly, to surprise her when she saw him in it, achieving it.

Excited about the night ahead, Judy stood in front of Sora, who hadn't moved yet. She even leaned to the side to get a glimpse of the car Sora had brought, which looked like one of the old sports cars from before the creation of Blackwall.

Teasingly, she asked, "Well, are you going to open the door for me or what?" Sora reacted to her question, but instead of answering, he blurted out the last thought that crossed his mind before everything faded away when he saw her: "You look absolutely stunning."

Judy blushed at Sora's sincere words and tried to hide her embarrassment as she replied, "You also look very attractive in that suit... though I would have liked to see your face."

-

Hanako, before boarding her armored limousine adorned with Arasaka logos, took a glance at the car Sora had brought. It was the first time she had seen it, as when she met John, he could barely afford enough Eddies to eat and maintain his guitar, let alone own a car like that. Still, she recognized it instantly, having gathered information about it over the years.

Knowing exactly where Sora got it from, Hanako turned pale, thanking the heavens that Smasher was still locked up in the Arasaka tower and hadn't seen it. She couldn't help but feel angry at her son's reckless behavior or, worse, as Hanako thought, knowing that her son wasn't stupid, even if he liked to act like one... implying, and terrifying her at the thought, that he was doing it on purpose.

Planning to reprimand him later, Hanako noticed something that made her forget her anger for a moment, and her face regained its usual color as she saw; her son and his partner standing in front of each other, embarrassed in their unusual formal outfits, looking like the awkward teenagers, that they were.

Until... that tender image was broken by her son whispering something in Judy's ear, causing her to blush brightly. This caused Hanako to shake her head at the surely perverted whisper of her son, but even so, she couldn't help smiling inside, seeing them enjoy themselves. being that, her main and only reason for inviting them to the Gala from the beginning.

-

Sora, after whispering in Judy's ear, what he would do to her in suit, after the Gala, opened the co-driver's door to let her into the Porsche Turbo, causing another smile on Judy's face, somewhat fond of the motor world after her continuous use of the Yaiba, getting excitedly into a vintage Porsche.

Causing the same smile on Sora's face under his helmet as he saw her, closing the door and getting into the driver's side, starting the Porsche's noisy engine, and driving off with the Arasaka convoy from Konpeki Plaza.

Sora only held out for a few minutes in disobeying Oda's orders, getting out of the slow convoy of Arasaka cars with a loud acceleration. That made Hanako, from her limousine, shook her head once again, wearing a slight smile on her face, as she watched through the limousine's window as her son and his girlfriend left the convoy, enjoying their time together... in 'John's' car.

Unlike the frustrated Oda, in the same limousine, who clenched his fists helplessly, witnessing how the grandson of his beloved master disobeyed the orders he had just given him.

---

Parkview Tower stood tall in Night City's Corporate Center. It was the grandest of them all, the most luxurious, expensive, and secure residential tower in the city. Security was tight, with armed plainclothes agents contracted to ensure safety. The residents comprised local millionaires, billionaires, foreign arms merchants, dictators, corporate heads, celebrities, and Night City corporate VIPs.

Inside the tower were fine restaurants, shops, and markets that were open to the public, but the residential areas were as secure as the most paranoid corporations. However, despite all the stringent security measures, it was in the penthouse on the tower's top floors, which Richard Night had owned, that his lifeless body had been found, "supposedly" murdered.

Currently, the penthouse was under the ownership of Night Corp. The corporation Richard co-founded with his wife, Miriam Night. Being the place where his body was found, the very same place where the Gala in his honor will be held on the anniversary of his death

The tower was adorned with lights and decorations, including a massive hologram, nearly two-thirds the size of the tower's facade, displaying Richard Night's image and his Epitaph under it:

"𝙍𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 (1954-1998): 𝘽𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮, 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩, 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙈𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙢, 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧-𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙."

With the last part catching Sora's attention as he read it out loud while driving, enjoying his trip with the excited Judy, as they listened to music in the eye-catching Porsche through the illuminated streets of Night City.

After passing through several NCPD checkpoints, where Judy presented her credentials as the CEO of Iron Beast and an invitation from Arasaka, and Sora, a bit unsure, showed his Lazarus Card, they finally arrived at the entrance of Parkview Tower. Where journalists and bloggers with credentials from both local and out-of-town media, were on both side of a long red carpet that reached all the way to the tower doors, covering the Night City Gala and scrutinizing the exclusive guests, particularly the prominent figures from the major corporations.

The sound of the Porsche's engine attracted the attention of the journalists considering it was only one car. It was a breath of fresh air for them, tired of seeing the same hypercars that most of the other guests had arrived in. Almost following a pattern: Rayfield Aerondight, Rayfield Caliburn, Herrera Outlaw GTS, and a few others, and repeat.

Anticipating the arrival of the eccentric guest who would drive such a unique car, the journalists were taken aback when a man stepped out of the Porsche. At first glance, he seemed like another guest, due his impeccable black suit, but then they noticed his illuminated black helmet, which immediately set him apart from the others.

With some of the local media and bloggers were able to identify him, after finishing recognizing his new helmet and seeing the terrified pale face of the Gala valet when Okami, the famous Merc of the city, walked up and whispered something to him, as he handed him the car keys.

"Sean O'Rourke. Age: 32 years old. Born at Medical Center, in 2040. Night City Social Number: NS-81524. Address: Shamrock Street, Apartment 405, Watson District.

Sean, I expect you to treat the car as if it were little 6-year-old Liam, waiting for you at home with your lovely wife Martha Kowalski, of 31. I don't want her, the little Liam, and your older brother Brian, who works as a mechanic, to have to worry about you.

So to avoid the drama, take care of the car, okay? it's worth a world to me... much more than your life Sean..." - aid Sora whispering to Sean O'Rourke and as he finished, staring at him, with the blue stripes of his helmet shining brightly, into the eyes of the pale valet who could only nod his head, terrified of the "guest"... who seemed to know all about him, and... his family... or almost everything, with Sean struggling to use the word 'lovely' to describe his wife.

After affirming, Sora friendly tapped Sean's shoulder, to get him to stop fidgeting and at the same time transferred a generous tip to the account linked to his IDn, while handing him the keys to the Porsche.

Then, he went straight to the co-driver's side, as he stylishly adjusted his suit jacket, again raising the expectations and anticipation of the reporters as to who would actually be the gala guest in the vintage Porsche.

Sora, with his elegant black suit and helmet, opened the door helping his client out gracefully. With the journalists the first thing they could see was her stylized illuminated leg planting a foot on the red carpet, revealing as she stepped out of the car, Judy dressed in her stunning white dress, with her legs and arms illuminated in blue and violet.

As a result of her novel appearance, which could create trends, it was not the first time. Gaining the attention of journalists and bloggers who took a second to recognize the young CEO of Iron Beast, the small, yet promising, company from Night City.

Holding onto Sora's arm, Judy and Sora advanced towards the entrance of the tower, stepping under the spotlight of the cameras. As they crossed the red carpet, they noticed a pair of familiar eyes looking at them from the end of the group of journalists.

Causing Sora to smile beneath his helmet, when he spotted Eddie with a camera on his shoulder, looking nervous, alongside his boss and colleague Nancy Hartley, also publicly known as Bes Isis, who was staring at him with a serious expression since getting out of Johnny's car.

Quite well-known this times, even earning her own segment on the news, Bes had, three years ago, created a massive wave in the city alongside Eddie. Thanks to the content of a certain hard disk from a branch of the Tyger Claws. They had exposed numerous corruption cases, most notably the cover-up by the city's mayor regarding the arson incident at the H3 mega-building.

That left the city in shock upon learning the truth, setting off a butterfly effect with consequences that should not have occurred yet. It all started with the establishment of the Peralez Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by the rich couple known in Night City, which aimed to commemorate the victims of the gang war-induced arson that was concealed by the mayor and wrongly pinned on Marcus Arza, the fire chief, and his men.

This initiative was born just over a year ago, as a way to honor the memory of those who lost their lives and bring justice to the Arza family, who have been incriminated and unjustly blamed by the city and the media, resulting in the tragic end of all three family members.

With the Peralez's building a large statue in the Glen Sub-distric, near the H3 mega-building, where Marcus, his wife Maria, and their son Daniel, were immortalized as a public apology from the city. And to finish the butterfly effect by going public shortly thereafter, the intentions of Jefferson Peralez to run for mayor of Night City in the elections of next year 2073.

Motivated ahead of time to become mayor to prevent dramatic cases like that of the Arza family.

Taking advantage of the fact that they had to wait for their main shareholder, Sora and Judy approached them. Bess, with her serious gaze piercing Sora, was the first to speak when she asked, "Kid, where the hell did you get that car?"

"I found it," Sora replied, not caring enough about Bess's tense stare to pay attention, taking the opportunity to 'smoke' while they waited.

The parts of his helmet where his mouth was located splitting in half, and separate sections of the front screen, automatically moved to the sides, allowing Sora to place a cigarette between his lips and light it with a worn-out zippo, engraved with an Ace.

Bess had a sense of déjà vu with Sora's indifferent response, only to start smoking the next moment, in the same position as him, which instantly brought back her hunch from three years ago when she first met him. Now, that hunch had become an unconfirmed truth in her mind. He had even recovered his car.

Seeing the tense scene, Judy broke it when she genuinely greeted Bess, "Bess, what a surprise, good to see you!" She raised her arms to hug her, causing the stern expression on Bess's face, directed at Sora, to change 180º as she turned toward the stunning young woman that it had become in the last 3 years, who had greeted her.

"Dear, I'm also glad to see you! From what Natasha and the rest of the girls told me the last time I spoke with them, things couldn't be going better for you in the company, and here you are being invited to these shi- I mean, shows. I'm really happy for you and for them! Kerry... is probably happy too!" - Bess replied, happily accepting Judy's hug. She had met the young woman days after the incident three years ago.

After the Tygers' base fire and the area being filled with NCPD, Bess with little choice, being close by and being a safe place, out of the authorities and the system as Natasha wanted the only one of the girls who was conscious at the time. Took them, with Eddie's help, to a mansion in Westbrock owned by an old acquaintance she hadn't spoken to in years.

With some difficulties, Bess convinced a certain famous singer to let her, the girls, and Eddie stays for one night, which extended for the girls, where they lived with Kerry for a few days until Judy contacted Natasha to help them with their Dolls Chips.

While Bess was talking to Judy. Sora, while smoking, approached the nervous Eddie, who asked him discreetly in Bess's absence. - "It was you, wasn't it?"

Upon hearing him, Sora replied; "Tch, why does that sound familiar? As I said, my lawyer has-"

"Cut the jokes!" - Eddie exclaimed interrupting Sora, not having the patience to deal with his nonsense, tormented for two days thinking that Adam Smasher was going to break down his apartment door. He added, looking around to confirm Bess wasn't listening, "You blew up Ebunike, right? And the video, don't tell me that was you too?"

"I'm particularly proud of the part where Smasher crashes into the water, and the looped repetition of that moment, using the sound of Smasher's impact as background music... What can I say, I was inspired when I edited the video"

"You damn crazy bastard! Do you want Smasher to kill you and me too for helping you? From what I've heard from some colleagues covering the news, there have been two massacres carried out by someone really heavy, so much so that several of the victims had their heads explode... from being stomped on. Damn it! If you add that to the heap of metal you're laughing about... you've got a damn 'cyber-psycho' Smasher hunting down the culprit in the city!"

"I'm counting on it..." - Sora replied, before rethinking and clarifying; "The cyber-psycho part, not the head-stomping."

"..." Eddie took a second to process what he had just heard, asking something he couldn't understand, with an incredulous voice. - "Why would you want that?"

Just as Eddie asked, there was a commotion among the other journalists when a large convoy of black vehicles, protecting a limousine marked with Arasaka logos, stopped at the entrance of the Tower.

When the noise increased due to her arrival, Sora while looking at the entrance of his mother, said; "Because, from experience, enraged people are predictable, easy to trigger, and in doing so, they rush, they make mistakes, and those mistakes... oh my friend... 'those are' precisely what I aiming for" Sora said, mysteriously smiling at Eddie before taking the final drag of his cigarette and closing his helmet again.

Bess, on the other hand, at the sight of a certain Arasaka, remembered who was the main shareholder of the company the young couple in front of her. Causing Bess, to look back at the young man in the suit and helmet, wondering what connection the son/descendant of Johnny had with the family that killed him.

As Bess tried to figure out what she was missing from the story, she stared at the elegant figure that emerged from the limousine... feeling the same familiar way, even though it was madness.

Whenever Bess saw an image or video of Hanako Arasaka, she had this blurry feeling of familiarity with her, as if she had seen and talked to her or someone very similar at some point in her youth. However, due to her "rocker" lifestyle, involving too much parties, booze, and drugs, Bess had too many hazy memories and gaps from that time.

Hanako, in her elegant and somewhat provocative dress, accompanied by her Iron Beast Niobe, almost as if she was advertising her son's company, crossed the red carpet, attracting frantic photographers and bloggers on both sides, but they still controlled their enthusiasm, well aware of the heavily armed bodyguards following closely behind her, with her assistant Yumeko and Oda, along with an entire team of guards accompanying Hanako.

"Bess, we have to go. I hope to see you upstairs when the press is allowed in," Judy said, bidding farewell to Bess with a smile as she and Sora joined Hanako's group to enter the majestic Parkview Tower. Hanako didn't think that Nancy, whom she had met when she was only 18 years old, would recognize her after all these years, but she chose to walk by to avoid any changes now.

Approaching the entrance of Parkview Tower, the doors opened, courtesy of two elegant gala staff members, welcoming Hanako's group to the luxurious and enormous hall with its walls adorned in glossy black marble, reflecting the grandeur and opulence of the tower.

The atmosphere in the hall immediately changed when the various armed security groups inside noticed the presence of the Arasaka delegation. The lively chatter and conversations among the security personnel, representing various corporations and guests, momentarily ceased.

From the hall of the tower onward, most security members were not allowed to accompany their bosses to avoid overcrowding the Gala with bodyguards and making the armed presence uncomfortable for the guests. Each guest was permitted to be accompanied by only two assistants/bodyguards.

As a result, Hanako's group split up without the need for words. Niobe, after receiving a final pat from Hanako, along with the rest of the bodyguards stayed in the hall. Meanwhile, Hanako, accompanied by Yumeko and Oda, moved forward, followed by Judy and Sora.

The group advanced through the hall, coming to a stop in the luxurious elevator lounge which served as the final security checkpoint before reaching the penthouse where the gala would take place.

There, they encountered a guest accompanied by their two allowed bodyguards, causing a delay at the security checkpoint as they argued with the peculiar manager of the control, compared to the rest of the gala staff.

Despite the rude behavior and shouting from the ill-mannered guest, the peculiar manager with bowl hair and lime-colored, whose slanted eyes seemed almost closed, remained steadfast, denying them access with a smile on his face. To Sora, he seemed to be smiling like a serpent from a cartoon.

The staff manager explained that they wouldn't be granted access until the bodyguards surrendered their weapons and wore a "cyberware blocker" on their cyberware. It was a small circular magnetic device that disabled the functioning of all cyberware, except for its primary function if it was an organ, or allowed movement if it was an extremity.

Upon hearing the explanation, Sora glanced back at his mother, who was leading the group. He was not willing to "give up his weapons and wear that crap." Hanako, sensing her son's intense stare from behind, ignored him, maintaining her elegant composure. With a simple gesture of her hand, she stopped Oda, who was about to intervene, allowing the event staff to handle the situation.

The peculiar manager's expression momentarily changed, his reptilian smile fading when he saw the person he had been waiting for, thanks to the "ill-mannered" guest.

Accordingly. His slanted eyes opened, revealing a threatening gaze. "Dear guest, there is one thing you can do to gain access with your armed companions and unrestricted cyberware," he said.

Surprised by the staff member's sudden change in attitude, but pleased that his constant complaints had produced results, the guest asked, "Alright! Why did it take you so long to figure that out? What do I have to do, sign something?"

"No, it's something simpler if you think about it. Have more Eurodollars," the staff member said firmly before adding, "If you had more money and influence, Night Corp, the organizers of the Gala, would have given you an invitation without any restrictions, since you would have enough capital to be monetarily responsible for the possible acts of your employees. However, since that's not the case, Night Corp has granted you this limited invitation. So please, stop wasting my time and the valuable time of the person behind you."

The guest, furious at the response from a mere employee and so arrogant that he didn't even bother to check or care about the person behind him, shouted, "You wretch, do you know who my uncle is?!" However, before his violent outburst, he attempted to grab the manager, who seemed to be laughing at him.

But before he could. The manager's eyes lit up with a bright light, and suddenly, the atmosphere changed. Several turrets deployed from the ceiling, pointing at the guest and his bodyguards.

Simultaneously, from the marble columns in the elevator hall, their bases opened, and a pair of heavily-armored humanoid robots, R Mk.1-5, emerged from each column, with more layers of armor than standard R Mk.1-5, and each armed with heavy weapons, with two cannons sticking out from under their arms and two rectangular sets of missile launchers on their shoulders.

Oda and Yumeko stepped in front of Hanako to protect her, while Sora and Judy, both avid robotics enthusiasts, exchanged opinions on the robot designs, finding the scene quite entertaining.

"I believe now is an opportune moment for you and your companions to reconsider your options," the manager warned, his cold reptilian smile returning.

The ill-mannered guest and his bodyguards found themselves completely surrounded, with their arms raised due to the multitude of weapons pointed at them. Leaving no doubt about the tower's relentless security, and any resistance would be futile. Reluctantly, the guest finally complied with the manager's demands, allowing his bodyguards to surrender their weapons and undergo cyberware blocking before entering the elevator, now visibly pale, when they finally saw who they had kept waiting.

Satisfied with the resolution, the manager restored calm in the elevator hall. The R Mk.1.5 robots returned to their original positions, and the turrets retracted into the ceiling. Greeting Hanako's group with a renewed smile on his face, as if nothing had happened.

When the group reached the peculiar manager, he bowed and said, "Welcome to Parkview Tower. I apologize for the scene you just witnessed, far beneath the stature of Hanako Arasaka. Please pardon my poor way of handling the incident."

Hanako simply nodded in response to the manager's verbal verbiage. Meanwhile, Yumeko approached him and handed over a chip containing Arasaka credentials along with an unrestricted invitation to the gala, with a clear grudge in her eyes for the inappropriate scene in front of Hanako, not caring or accepting his apology.

Without wiping his smile, seemingly unaffected by Yumeko's furious gaze, the manager smoothly verified the credentials, allowing everyone to pass without any issues. As Judy passed through and Sora was about to do the same, the manager stopped him.

"Excuse me, Mr. Okami, but the credentials I received are for Hanako Arasaka's two assistants and her invited guest. The security for the guest was subcontracted and is not listed in the credentials I received," the manager said, recognizing Sora, or rather, mercenary Okami, due to the ears on his helmet.

Sora, having no other option, pulled out his Lazarus card and slid it into the manager's terminal, fearing another scene if he were asked to surrender his weapons and wear a "blocker" device – even though he doubted it would work on him; he had no intention of parting with his arms. The peculiar manager opened his eyes again, this time in surprise, as he saw Sora's Lazarus card.

Uttering while examining the reading of Sora's Lazarus card, the manager said, "I thought there were no Lazarus agents in Night City, and that's why my dear boss had to wait."

"No idea, dude, I'm new," Sora replied, playing dumb, but he had some idea of what the manager was referring to, recalling Morgan's mission in which he was supposed to assist him.

"Orochi Ryuji," Ryuji, the peculiar manager, suddenly said.

"Eh?" Catching Sora by surprise, who didn't understand why he was telling his name.

"My name, it's Orochi Ryuji," - Ryuji said. - "so you won't have to waste time when we talk again soon," appearing to have more information than he let on, and his position did not seem as simple as that of a control manager.

Not caring about any of that, or what his name would be, Sora replied; "Cool, can I come in then?"

"Yes, of course, you may. Furthermore, you don't need to surrender your weapons, according to your card... Lazarus has given you full clearance. Please enjoy the Gala and don't break anything," Ryuji cordially said with his reptilian smile, seemingly unfazed by Sora's disinterested attitude.

With a hidden expression of 'Not bad' under his helmet upon hearing about Lazarus' 'full coverage.' Sora replied as he passed in front of Ryuji, without looking at him, - "That I can't promise."

He joined Judy and his mother, who were waiting for him with an open elevator. Without wasting any more time, they headed directly to Richard Night's Penthouse.