Ghost in the City: Cyberpunk Gamer SI by Seras Chapter 199 Fiction Page Report Chapter Preferences Previous
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Chapter ADVERTISEMENT RemoveI woke up the next morning feeling well rested and ready to take on the world. A full eight hours and I was ready to hammer life.
I hit the gym first. That final level for Body would mean I never have to stop at a gym again in my life. Which was a temptation that was too strong to put off.
The weights let me push and I found a good chunk of the morning disappear in a haze of aching muscles and willpower overriding my tired body.
No level ups, but it was all about the slow inexorable grind!
I spent most of the morning after that doing some clean up for the Tachikoma. Their brain was growing well, if slowly, but they were at the point where it was easy for them to follow a thought or assumption and come to incredibly wrong conclusions.
I considered calling for that meeting between my chooms that I had planned, but honestly we had been working for days straight.
Today was a rest day for sure. Plus Hiromi had school, which I really should try not to interfere with all the time. Better to give her some school time before I finish calling the meeting and get everyone on the same page.
Of course I wasn't really feeling like putting my feet up and wasting the day. So instead I pulled out my laptop and started working on some design work.
The initial use of the Tachikoma had been an amazing success, but I still needed to get their mobile function working.
Getting them capable of climbing walls was going to be complicated, although the tech definitely existed out there already. I remember the Flathead was easily doing it.
But for now I needed speed.
Wheels.
Tachikoma were supposed to have wheels on their legs and that was a skill they would need to learn to use.
Adding wheels was easy. Adding wheels into their already packed together legs while somehow powering them was harder.
But it was the fun kind of harder.
—--
When the door opened and Jun wearily stepped into the apartment I was still a long ways from completing a working design.
So I happily pushed it away and looked over at my brother.
"You look tired."
"Yep." He muttered and stomped over to the fridge.
"Any reason why?"
"Been busy." He finally offered after grabbing an XXL and throwing it in the microwave. But he wasn't going to elaborate.
"Okay?" I mentioned realizing Jun wasn't in the mood for conversation.
A minute later he settled on the couch and chomped into his burrito and life seemed to return to him.
"I've just been busy Imouto. A lot of issues came up, and I wasn't able to handle them because of… Yuto."
"Ah." I looked away. We hadn't really had a conversation about this yet. The room grew a little awkward and I considered what to do. For Jun Yuto was a friend, a companion, a brother in some ways.
And I had killed him.
"Hey Jun?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you want to set up a space in our shrine for Yuto?" I asked and Jun definitely wasn't expecting that as he choked a bit on his burrito.
I patted his back a bit and he got himself under control again. "What?"
"You heard me. Despite everything… He was a choom right?"
Jun blinked and just looked over to our shrine.
We didn't use it much, it mostly stayed in the corner and we just left it as is.
Finally Jun nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'd like that."
I smiled as Jun's mood improved and we made plans to head out to get everything we would need. I might have zero connection to the man, but to Jun… This might be the way to get over the guilt he obviously felt.
—--
As we left the apartment to head to some shops it was obvious that things had changed.
I was getting stared at. Normally when Jun and I walked around, he got all the attention with his reputation out there, but this time it was something more.
I was getting looked at, and people were whispering.
"Looks like I'm not going to be able to stay low key anymore." I muttered as we passed a few TC gonks sitting on a set of stairs and all of them jumped for Jun but ended up flinching when they saw me.
"Well you did start working with Hayato Nakagawa-Sama."
"Ugh. Don't call her that." I cringed, because it was hard to keep in mind Hayato was important when she was sort of a mess.
"You should start speaking about her with respect. It could cause issues."
"Nah. I've punched her in the face too many times to do that."
"Motoko!?"
"We spar together Jun. What do you think? I just didn't touch her?"
"No! But… I forgot you sparred with her… Is she any good?"
"She's a pain in the ass with that Keren of hers. Not as good at grappling though, but if she can set the pace of the fight she's solid."
"Huh." Jun muttered as we reached the street and headed down the sidewalk.
"Whatever happened with the 6th Street attacks?" I asked and Jun winced looking around a little before leaning in.
"Higher ups are spreading the word it was a false flag, and that 6th Street already apologized. They didn't but they also don't want to admit they were tricked. Apparently there was a big clean up among 6th Street so they are focused on internal matters."
"Just like the Tygers then." I muttered, and Jun didn't comment, but it was what he didn't say that mattered.
The reason the Tygers weren't retaliating was because they were dealing with internal trouble just as bad as 6th Street.
So both gangs were apparently happy to just ignore the entire situation. Of course neither would admit weakness, and neither would actually apologize.
Gang Wars were bad for business though, and 6th Street had already long ago become a business rather than the protectors they tried to pretend they were.
Jun switched to more casual conversation after that, as we entered the store and bought some stuff for the Shrine for Yuto, mostly just new incense.
—--
I was driving to the gun range, planning on getting another session in when the radio started a new song that made me twitch.
My voice, singing This Fffire. It was so eerie that it kept happening, but I didn't change it. Just letting the song finish.
"And that was This Fffire from Ghost in the Shell, been getting a lot of requests for that one. So I hope all you choomers enjoyed it."
I heard Ash say over the radio before finally turning off the car. I was here.
So weird.
I still wasn't sure what I was going to do about all that mess, but I did know that I would have to come up with something soon.
I can't believe I was on the radio.
Shaking it off I headed inside and started shooting. I was focusing on my Handgun skill today, as it was pretty low for one of the skills I used a lot, and I could get a lot of work done.
As I was shooting I noticed one of the other shooters eyeing me and I stopped and shifted so I was looking them straight in the eye. They flinched and looked away and I glared.
Tyger Claw. So he was staring because he had heard about me.
Stupid rep. It was better when everyone just ignored me.
—--
*100 Handguns XP Gained.*
*Handguns skill level up!*
Handguns just hit 8!
I cheered internally even as I groaned and stretched my slightly aching shoulders. I had been at it for hours!
But I really wanted that level up!
Looking around for the first time in a while I relaxed as I was alone and I took a moment to start packing up.
Processing the odd sensation of gaining muscle memory that I hadn't actually done before. Slight changes in how to hold and point, a slight shift in how I would register when to fire while aiming.
It was all good stuff.
Packing up I decided to grab some food and probably flop on the couch for a while.
As I headed out, I caught the issue. Once again a couple of Tyger Claw gonks were standing around my car.
I shifted my shoulders, giving me easy access to the Burya and stalked forward.
"Hey! Get off my ride!" I demanded and watched the men all shift to stare at me.
Weapons visible.
"Chill choom." The lead Gonk offered and actually raised his hands, but his smile told me he was mocking. "We're just here to talk."
"Talk to someone else then. Fuck off." I demanded, I didn't know who sent these fucks, but it wasn't anyone that I wanted to talk to. Everyone in the TC that I wanted to chat with had my number.
"Don't be like that, we are here with business." He explained his smug smile still stretched across his face. And when I just stared blankly he smiled like he won some game. "Here's the deal. You pissed off some important folk, and in exchange you need to work it off. See?" He explained and I nodded.
That was what this was about. I breathed in and out. My blood was boiling. It would take just a choice to calm down, handle this rationally, call Fujimura or Jun, and make sure these guys regretted trying whatever this was about.
Or I could just not.
I activated my Sandy. Everything slowed down not because I expected trouble, but because I wanted to memorize the look on this smug pricks face when my chrome fist smashed into his face. My ankles gave me plenty of force to truly lay one on this guy.
I moved on.
"Get you ass off my fucking car!" I roared as I smashed into them, one of them let out a girlish shriek as I twisted and leapt then landed a flying kick right onto his face knocking him off the hood of the Quadra.
Then I moved again, a gun was drawn, Sub-Gonk number 2 drew a Shiny Omaha, it was whipped out with far too much wasted movements, by the time the gun was clear of his pants, I had already rolled off the Quadra and lashed out, my foot smashing into his wrist and sending the pistol flying. Then I smashed another fist into the gonks chest.
"I am so sick of this shit!" I yelled out as I switched back to the leader. He was rising up shakily holding his mouth, but I didn't care and slipped into his guard and reached up grabbing the side of his head while my other grabbed under the Quadra's bumper giving me all the leverage I needed to bounce his head off the solid titanium hood.
Then I flowed into another move. The fucker that had been sitting on my car was getting up and I smashed a knee into his face putting him back down on the asphalt.
I drew a blade, not my normal knife, but a throwing dagger that was tucked into my little strap on pouches, and chucked it.
Sub-Gonk number 2 had scrambled for his dropped Omaha and now had a knife in his shoulder. Ninjutsu made the throw so easy I could have lodged it right into his eye if I wanted.
His scream of pain was all the work I needed to do. Kind of hard to pull a trigger when you disable their arm.
Wise words from a movie drill instructor.
Walking over I kicked the gun away, he had dropped it anyway unable to grip it, and reached down, jerking the knife back out earning another scream.
I stared down at the three crying injured men.
I should kill them.
I wanted to kill them. Instead I closed my eyes and made a call.
*Fujimura. You have about ten minutes to send someone to pick up these Tyger Goons that just tried to have a chat with me, before I slit their throats and let them bleed out in the streets and carry on with my day. Here's my cords.* Then I hung up and sat my own ass on the hood of the Quadra my Burya visible and keeping the goons on the ground.
—--
I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
"Motoko!" Jun roared as he nearly jumped off his Kusanagi and rushed over. Akari, I noticed had been riding bitch behind him. Heh.
"I'm fine Jun. Just pissed." I explained calmly. The three men were sitting on the ground in front of my Quadra, the fight thoroughly kicked out of them.
Jun looked me over and seeing the only blood I had on me was my chrome knuckles nodded.
Then he turned slowly, practically looming over the three gonks.
"Hey, c-chill Oni, we were-URK!" Jun didn't finish listening. The man was lifted off the ground with one hand wrapped around his throat.
You know… Maybe I'll let Jun stay tall instead of cutting his legs off to make him more normal sized. Because watching my Ogre of a brother hold a struggling dumbass aloft with one hand was really funny.
"Pfft." I tried to restrain my laughter, the man's legs were kicking in the air, unable to find the ground that was a good foot away.
"You. Dare." Jun rumbled his voice deeper than normal, a rumble in his chest adding bass to the worse.
"Oh my." Akari whispered faux shocked, but as I looked her over I noticed she was very much enjoying Jun's actions.
Ugh. Gross.
"Kushan-i." The leader spoke in broken syllables still holding his face.
I might have broken his jaw.
"We-sh 'ad o'rers."
"What orders?" Jun rumbled the guy in his hand still struggling but I noticed Jun wasn't going easy on his throat. He was turning blue.
"Jush a talk!" The leader spoke quickly hands raised as Jun looked like he was about to beat a motherfucker with another motherfucker.
I watched and sighed, because Jun wasn't going to do that, or rip these guys apart. Honestly I'd have been mad if he had, because they were my XP if they were just going to be killed.
"Fujimura-sama will want to hear exactly what your orders were." Jun finally said with a growl and dropped the other gonk. Who landed badly and rolled into a ball as he gasped for air. "Motoko, Fujimura-Sama will be here soon. And we'll get to the bottom of this."
"Perfect. I'm out then." I decided as I stepped off the hood fo the Quadra. "I've wasted enough time on this shit. Let me know what three dumbasses were supposed to tell me later or something." I offered with a wave and then Jun looked like he was going to say something but ended up nodding.
"Sure."
I hesitated and sighed turned around and to Jun's surprise hugged him tight. "Thanks Jun." I told him and ran away before he could get mushy.
Jun was always Mushy.
—--
I got home and took a shower, and as the water ran over my head, I came up with an idea.
A sinister, evil idea.
It was an idea for a quick hack.
I considered it for a while, it wasn't functionally any better than Optic Reboot, but sometimes you just needed to utterly fuck with someone.
I found myself in my room, Tachikoma beside me going through a small series of digital testing grounds for it I had set up, while I used both my hands and my agent to program at rapid speed.
The fact was, I was starting to build a rep. I had to accept that it was what it was, but I wanted something that made people think twice before ever, even considering messing with me.
So I needed to start becoming something more than just an assassin.
I needed the reputation of a monster.
Optical Hack Daemon: Onryo.
I pulled the data for my stealth daemon, as the base, as the Daemons carrier function was really really good. Then instead of simply focusing on making me invisible, I had it carry a holoimage.
The program came together without any issue, and by the time the sun rose it was done.
I installed the completed hack and then just stared at the wall for a second.
"Pfftt Hahahahaha!" I broke in evil laughter at the horror I was about to unleash. Now I just needed to find some targets.
ADVERTISEMENT RemoveREPORTA NOTE FROM SERASThank you all for reading! Almost at 200!
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Chapter RSS RemoveREPORTAbout the author 2 Fictions 2 Posts 1 ThreadsSeras Follow Author 20/07/2024 10:01 Bio:
AchievementsComments(161)
Preview PostVantablack, The Devourer of the Multiverse2 days agoThankjs!
Reply +Rep (8) ReportNeptunes_Bounty2 days agoSlice of life-esque style is pretty cool to see.
I really do want to see better relationship with Fujimura though, not that it is justified but would be cool to see.
I do find it pretty funny that even as a literal seven foot cyborg, you gotta use intimidation tactics.
Reply +Rep (37) ReportTogakure2 days agoBecause people who do not believe what isn't in front of them, and sometimes are still dumb enough to not believe what is in front of them, won't believe until you Move.
Reply +Rep (20) ReportPieter Bredenkamp2 days agoHayato should have been included in this: it is her asset is being pressured, more than Fujimura's.
At the end of the day, it is who you can call on that gives you face. Motoko in this regard has a lot, but the mid levels need to pick up on this.
EDIT: Maybe the play WAS actualy against Hayato in the first place. If that was is the intention, well played writer-kun.
Reply +Rep (27) ReportShadow wolf2 days agoI love that the different guys aren't scared of the 7ft tall cyborg who's known to be part of a group with serious cyberpysco issues, but all cringe in fear when seeing the (comparatively) small, cute high school girl
Reply +Rep (6) ReportDave W2 days agoAt least they can see Jun coming after them and as a Borg, it really is expected of him. With Motoko, a cute high school girl, you won't know that she's after you until you have a katana carving out your heart and splitting you in half. I think that's why they are so terrified of her.
Reply +Rep (35) Reportmupp982 days agoI'd be scared to when i knew she just the other day in a club loped off someones head, all just to make a statement. Now those punks trying to strong arm her! Then try to use "following orders" as a shield? Well them makes me think a pruning is still needed 🤷♀️🤦♀️😮💨
Tftc 👍
Reply +Rep (1) Reportrrrwinegarden1 day agoreading all the bad advice posted in this chain
Reply +Rep ReportTheAngryJerk2 days agoShopping time soon? Shopping is a nice, relaxing way to spend your days...I assume Hayato paid well so the new toys are on her. And maaaybe an outfit. Or two.
Reply +Rep (8) ReportShadow wolf1 day agoMaybe it's time to branch out into other anime character cosplay.. er I mean getting a few new outfits. She seems to wear only the 1 outfit (the Major cosplay) besides her armor, although she has many copies of it. The section 9 uniform has even been replaced by armor as well at this point
Reply +Rep (6) ReportLightningshok2 days agoThanks gor the chapter x
Reply +Rep ReportToby Ziegler2 days agoSee?!? This is what 'Toko has needed to do for a while. Embrace the rep. They're gonna hassle her anyway, so make them afraid before they even start!
Thanks!
Reply +Rep (45) ReportRiley Rodriguez2 days agoFast..
Also, finally... A spooky ghost daemon quickhack. Putting fear into dumb people's minds once and for all.
Reply +Rep (43) ReportTheAngryJerk2 days agoIf that ghost did stuff, like trick targeting systems in things like smart weapons or threat detectors into shooting at it the hack would be a real menace. Alas, a single holo image might just mean jumpscare...
Reply +Rep (47) ReportBlazerado2 days agoYes, I think she'll hack into their eyes to see her, but when they turn, she's no longer there. The last thing they see before a bullet pierces their skill. A true ghost, plaguing their worst fears.
Reply +Rep (19) Reporttigers-telling-tails2 days agoI'm thinking that the hack makes them see demon masks on the walls and stuff. Kind of a lingering image that appears at the corner of your eyes. Makes it so someone would see Mokoto and then see demon masks all over the place for the rest of the day.
Reply +Rep (11) ReportZoneleech12 hours agoFrom her reaction to it, I reckon it's more likely to be something like they are going to see nothing but Goatse/blue waffle/pain olympics for the next few days... If you don't know what these are, please DO NOT google these if you value your sanity! (or if you don't want to need eye/brain bleach). Or maybe she'll be able to programe something to give the same effect as the sick stick from Kick Ass 2?
I don't think it's going to be anything more benign than this. I thought Rick rollling at first, but that would just confuse them, especially since she'd probably need to record her own version of it first...
Reply +Rep ReportRampage522 days agoThanks for the chapter
Reply +Rep ReportMusicMan2 days agoTftc!
I like the return to some good ol' grinding...and the realisation that toko can no longer do things the way she used to. Which sucks for her, but I'm excited for people to finally realise that they shouldn't fuck with the unkillable master of everything.
My guess is that onryo is going to create hallucinogenic versions of herself that are more than a little frightening. Maybe also add audio channels on they can hear with whispered threats or sth.
I wonder at what point people connect the dots that onryo the assassin AND ghost in the shell the rockerboy AND the person behind all the BDs AND the laughing man is a single person. Maybe they'd dismiss it as a conspiracy theory bc how could a single person get so good at everything.
Reply +Rep (28) ReportArktosum2 days agoI hope it happens mostly to see her reaction then theirs
Reply +Rep (10) Reportjacobpaige2 days agoI'm pretty sure most of the important people already know they're all the same person. It's just the street level gonks that are still unaware since she's not really been advertising.
Reply +Rep ReportDave W2 days agoIt would be hilarious to hear a snippet from Maximum Mike talking about her though!
Reply +Rep (1) Reportjacobpaige2 days agoMaybe Hiromi could talk to him about advertising Motoko's BDs after playing her songs ;)
Reply +Rep (1) ReportSpaceWeather2 days agoThanks for the chapter.
Reply +Rep (2) Reportrrandomm17 hours agoThat final level for Body would mean I never have to stop at a gym again in my life. Which was a temptation that was too strong to put off.
Woah! I wish I could grind for that too!
Reply +Rep (1) ReportTiny0_0Tim2 days agoA question I've been meaning to ask, is s going to age normally?
Reply +Rep (2) ReportRiley Rodriguez2 days agoWould be funny if she became an immortal accidentally due to perfect/peak body 10
Reply +Rep (8) ReportTidbitsFromTim2 days agoIt would probably be more realistic if Body's natural limit slowly increases until it reaches 10 after puberty and Mind's limit did the same until your brain finishes developing. Cyberizing certain parts too early could also put a natural cap below 10 depending on how early it happens.
Shame it's too late for that. Would've been fun to have Motoko complaining because she's too short and young to max Body and Mind as if they're roller-coasters at Disney World.
Reply +Rep (6) Reportcrazyyoco2 days agoShe shouldnt grow anymore becuse of her titanium bones ?
Reply +Rep (2) ReportVenerable Ro2 days agoOn the other hand, I believe I remember her mentioning that she eventually plans to go all the way to a Gemini cyborg body, at which point she can look like whatever she wants.
Reply +Rep (18) Reportjacobpaige2 days agoI'm pretty sure there was something in that chapter about changing/upgrading/adding to/replacing/whatever those bones as she aged, but I could be misremembering.
Reply +Rep ReportYungSanguis2 days agoApparently there's an FBC called the Raven Microcybernetics Ghost which is a military grade stealth and infiltration FBC... I'm just sayin' if she could get her hands on the Black Raven version of it (the most highly classified and overall best version of it) it'd reallyyyy fit the whole Ghost In The Shell thing.
Reply +Rep (5) ReportSosseres2 days agoYou can buy slowed aging regardless of the system giving it to her or not. Though do you mean if she will hit her 20s at all?
Reply +Rep (3) ReportYungSanguis2 days agoGood quality rejuv treatments are expensive though and you need them regularly, only the elite of the elite can afford the regular treatments like the Arasaka head family. EDIT: I mean eventually she should be able to afford them but only if she actually expands Section 9 and they are very successful.
Reply +Rep (1) ReportDeathhascome5462 days agoThanks
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