chapter 129

...Unique....

"You guys are—!"

Tanaka instinctively tried to turn around, but the cold barrel of the gun pressed tightly against his back stopped him mid-movement.

If he turned, he might be shot, but Tanaka wasn't willing to take that gamble.

Realizing he'd been set up, he glared at Jimmy Kurosaki, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Kurosaki, you bastard!"

"Sorry, sir. I was forced into this," Jimmy replied nonchalantly.

Tanaka knew scolding Jimmy wouldn't help, so he shifted his focus to Maine, who had emerged from the shadows behind the director.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Of course," Maine said coldly. "You're our target."

Oliver stepped forward, smirking. "Don't even think about calling for backup. We've got a jammer running. No company contacts, no gang contacts—you're cut off."

"You—!"

"Oh, and by the way," Oliver continued, "we've also disabled any Trauma Team response protocols. You're welcome."

Tanaka's face darkened as he attempted to make a call, only to find that Oliver was telling the truth. Every attempt to connect was blocked.

"The company will notice my disappearance soon," Tanaka said, trying to regain some ground. "They'll trace my last known signal. You won't get away with this."

"We know," Oliver replied casually. "This won't take long."

With a grin, Oliver held up a rope, ready to bind Tanaka.

Tanaka, unwilling to give up, made one last offer. "How much are you getting paid for this mission? If you let me go and hand over the details of who hired you, the company will pay you double."

"Tempting," Oliver said mockingly. "But we're not interested in breaking the deal. Let's get this over with."

A firm hand landed on Tanaka's shoulder, and he turned to see a muscular man with a braid standing beside him. The man exuded a sense of danger that made Tanaka's stomach churn.

And then it hit him.

Tanaka recognized the two men next to him—the blond one holding the rope and the imposing figure beside him.

"Jack and Oliver… mercenaries from the city."

The realization dawned on him in an instant. "The incident at Kabuki Hall wasn't an accident, was it?"

"You're sharp," Jack said with a smirk. "No wonder you've lasted this long at Arasaka."

The voice of the man behind him, the one holding the gun, sent a chill down Tanaka's spine.

"Karl. Mercenary K, right?"

"It seems my reputation precedes me," Karl said calmly.

Tanaka's shoulders sagged in resignation. "If it's you, I have nothing more to say."

Slowly, he raised his hands. "Ask for whatever information you need. Just spare my life and I—"

But before Tanaka could finish his sentence, the skin on his palms suddenly peeled back, revealing hidden mechanical ports. With a metallic click, the concealed weapon activated, exposing densely packed needle projectile launchers on both his palms and the backs of his hands.

[Needle Projectile]: A hidden weapon installed beneath the skin, capable of firing deadly steel needles at critical moments.

The room was instantly filled with the whirring sound of needles being launched.

"BOOM!"

Time seemed to slow for Karl and Jack.

They could see the steel needles hurtling toward them, fanning out across the room.

"Company dogs," Karl muttered. "Even their surrender is a trap."

Jack moved first, grabbing Oliver and shielding him with his armored body. The needles, though lethal, couldn't penetrate his subdermal plating.

Meanwhile, Karl dodged the needles aimed at him and raised Midnight, his pistol, aiming directly at Tanaka's arm.

"If you want to struggle, you can do it without hands."

CRACK!

Tanaka's scream echoed through the room as his arms were shot clean off, leaving him kneeling in agony on the floor.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Karl lowered his weapon, studying Tanaka's trembling form.

"This guy doesn't have a pain editor?" Karl muttered.

[Pain Editor]: A neural implant that inhibits pain receptors, preventing the brain from processing pain signals.

"Guess not," Maine said, walking over. "He's probably one of those corporate types who enjoys the pain. Makes for a more 'authentic' BD experience."

Karl shook his head. "You'd think Arasaka would spring for one, though."

Before they could continue, their attention shifted to Jimmy Kurosaki, who had collapsed nearby.

Jimmy, lacking any subdermal armor, had been hit by the steel needles. His body was riddled with wounds, the flesh around the entry points resembling pulped meat.

Karl knelt beside the dying director. "Any last words?"

Jimmy coughed up blood but managed a faint smile. "Unlock the… the recording. Keep it. It's yours."

Karl nodded. With a flick of his neural link, he unblocked the BD recording stored in Jimmy's implant.

"Anything else?"

Jimmy chuckled weakly, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. "Such a shame… I couldn't edit it myself."

BANG.

Karl ended it quickly.

"What a waste," he muttered, retrieving the recording chip from the back of Jimmy's neck.

The BD recording was only a few seconds long, but Karl knew it was something worth keeping.

"This," he said, holding the chip up, "is the final chapter of the Cyberpsychosis series."

The unique, unedited piece was now in Karl's hands.