The day after their cyberware upgrades, Karl was packing up for the move. Just as he bent down to lift a crate packed with weapons, V—who had crashed at his place the night before—hurried over and grabbed it first.
"Karl, let me handle the heavy lifting today. Didn't Vik tell you to avoid straining yourself for a couple days?"
"I feel fine. Lifting a crate barely counts as exercise."
That said, Karl didn't try to take it back.
Truth was, his legs still felt slightly... unfamiliar.
The day before, he'd received a new implant at Vik's clinic—Reinforced Tendons.
Reinforced Tendons: Biomechanical connective tissue designed to enhance leg musculature.
Unlike some augmentations, this one didn't replace his bones or muscles—it layered on top of them as additional support. His legs didn't feel artificial. In fact, they felt stronger and more responsive than ever.
Doors that once resisted his kicks now gave way with ease.
He bounced slightly in place, noting how springy his steps had become.
But that wasn't all.
Vik had explained that the tendons included a micro air turbine, based loosely on jet propulsion systems. As the user jumped, the turbine would compress air mid-ascent, storing it to be released later as a downward blast—creating a midair boost for a second jump.
(Karl hadn't quite mastered it yet—he'd only just had the implant installed—but he'd already contacted his braindance dealer to source any BDs simulating double-jump mechanics. He'd learn through muscle memory.)
Finishing a small hop, Karl turned to V.
"Speaking of implants—how's yours? You got modded too, didn't you? Everything feeling alright? If not, we can have Jack and Oliver help carry the rest."
"I'm feeling great."
V hoisted the weapons crate with one hand and grabbed a box of kitchenware with the other, stacking them easily. "Honestly, I don't think I've ever felt this strong."
"You got a Kerenzikov, Smart Link, and Sandevistan all at once—and you're still standing? That's wild."
Karl was honestly impressed. He wasn't even sure he could take that much at once.
"The real insanity was what I pulled out," V replied. "Didn't realize how much sand had gotten into the old joints—or how corroded everything was. I'm honestly impressed I ever got anything done with that junk installed."
Karl cringed, remembering the blood-caked implants they'd removed—grimy, rusted, packed with dirt and grit.
The fact V's body had tolerated it said a lot about his cyberware compatibility.
Still, Karl offered a word of caution.
"That Sandevistan you picked—it's Militech's latest OS. If anything feels off, say something immediately. We'll rush you back to Vik. It's not meant for first-time users. Honestly, we should've convinced you to start with something simpler."
V shrugged, completely unfazed. Maybe it was the nomad in him.
"New means better, right? If it's the best, then it's gotta fit best too. Nothing to worry about."
Karl gave him a look.
"Did your clan teach you that? Or did you just skip the part where cutting-edge usually means sacrificing something to enhance something else?"
This guy… he'd shove anything into his body without a second thought.
Judging by V's face, Karl's warning had gone in one ear and out the other.
Great. Another one with the reckless mercenary mindset.
This team really was starting to turn into a squad of maniacs.
Still, they had the modded Herrera and the hovercar now. If V did break down, at least they could get him to Vik in time.
Karl followed V out of the apartment, carrying a full bag of frozen food from the fridge.
At the doorway, he paused and looked back at the unit that had been his home for the past four months.
It looked just the same as the day he moved in.
Quiet. Empty.
Waiting for the next tenant to come and go—just like the city itself.
Night City never stopped.
It never changed.
No matter what hit it, it endured.
It watched people arrive and leave.
Witnessed legends rise and fall.
But it stayed.
Unmoved.
Now, it was Karl's turn to move on.
Upward.
As he and V stood in the elevator—recently repaired after their trip to the Badlands—Karl glanced out the window, watching the cityscape drop beneath them.
Then a strange phrase surfaced in his mind:
Fools love climbing mountains.
He couldn't remember where he'd heard it, but it stuck with him.
Why do fools love climbing mountains?
Maybe because...
The mountain is there.
Immovable. Untouchable. High above it all.
And that's reason enough.
The elevator stopped.
They had reached the top floor.
The penthouse had a private elevator and security access, though for now—since the system hadn't been activated—the public lift still worked.
The doors slid open.
Waiting for them were Jack, Oliver, and T-BUG—already hard at work setting up the place.
They had arrived earlier, organizing and furnishing what would be their new base.
A home…
The word echoed in Karl's mind.
As his teammates greeted him, Karl stepped forward, crossing the threshold onto the penthouse floor.
.
.
.
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