A veil of fog shrouded the sky, and a light drizzle was falling.
Neon signs and holographic ads dyed the raindrops in rainbow hues. In the corporate plaza, skyscrapers built by the megacorps towered like the grand palaces of Norse gods, lined up one after another. Water pooled on the slick pavement, reflecting the dazzling neon lights in a riot of colors.
Before anyone could fully take in the view, a Delamain taxi sped through the puddles with a loud splash.
Leo, sitting inside, paid no attention to the city's nighttime spectacle. His focus was on his own status screen:
---
**Name:** Leo
**Potential Points:** 60
**Skills:**
- Firearm Maintenance LV5
- Blade Mastery LV5
- Firearm Mastery LV5
- Fitness LV5
- Evasion/Dodge LV5
- Blocking LV5
- Throwing LV5
- Vehicle Handling LV5
- Eureka LV???
---
From level 5 onward, each skill level required 10 potential points to advance. For a while, Leo had been saving all the points he'd earned from recent jobs. After some thought, he decided to spend 30 points all at once, pouring them into **Evasion**:
**Evasion LV5 → Evasion LV8**
A warm surge started in his heart and coursed through his limbs.
"Delamain," Leo said abruptly, "pull over."
"But sir, we haven't arrived at your destination—"
"Pull over."
"Understood."
"Wait for me right here. I'll be right back."
He left the taxi in a quick spring, vanishing from the spot. When he reappeared a few steps away, his body felt so light it was almost weightless.
Leo wasn't using any cyberware at all, yet his new movement speed matched that of a third-generation "Kerenzikov" at full blast. More than just foot speed, his reaction time and dynamic vision had sharpened, too.
He tested it out a bit. It wasn't as broken as a Sandevistan might be.....yet. But the enhanced nerve response and field of view made a world of difference. If he were to fight Nantō again—who was already dead—there was no way it would take so long this time.
.......
..
.
After savoring the rush of his upgraded skills, Leo climbed back into the Delamain taxi.
"Welcome back."
"Mm. Let's go."
He was more than satisfied with the results of his skill upgrade. In Night City, personal power mattered. If you wanted to get anywhere, you needed strength.
But that wasn't all he had in store tonight. Reaching under the seat, he pulled out a case and set it beside him. Opening it, the glow of streetlamps and neon signs revealed its contents: a carefully cleaned, neatly folded preacher's cassock—Nantō's attire.
After killing Nantō, Leo hadn't had time to loot the body, and the city mortuary vans had hauled away the Tiger Claw's corpses. He'd later paid a small bribe to acquire this particular outfit, which he'd already noticed wasn't ordinary. Holding it now, he felt even more certain. This wasn't just a normal piece of clothing.
He ran his fingers over it, scrutinizing every inch, then came to a realization.
"Ah. So that's how it is…"
This bulletproof cassock, unlike the typical approach using polycarbonate or aramid fibers, had third-gen subdermal armor integrated directly into its fabric.
No wonder it stopped bullets so well. Subdermal plating was sold by the fingernail-sized piece, and Nantō had managed to get enough to cover an entire outfit. The Tiger Claws must have had deep pockets… though in truth, Nantō himself had likely gone into debt for this extravagance.
Suddenly, Leo's system window popped up with a prompt:
> "From examining this bulletproof cassock, you've gained insight. Subdermal armor, usually implanted under the skin, has here been attached to clothing. This idea isn't advanced—megacorps once considered it, then discarded it due to high cost.
> However, Nantō's self-made bulletproof outfit is far from perfect. It can be improved further.
> Would you like to spend **30 potential points** to acquire the improved schematics?"
Leo's eyes lit up. He answered without hesitation. "Yes."
> "You have spent 30 potential points and acquired the **Custom Combat Armor** schematics."
---
In her private booth at the Afterlife, Rogue was in the middle of using her channels to source the gear Leo needed. Suddenly, her holo-screen signaled an incoming call from him. Annoyance flickered over her features, but she took the call anyway.
She spoke bluntly. "Kid, don't tell me you're regretting paying up so quickly. I can give back some money if you want to back out, but by the rules I can only return about eighty percent."
It wasn't that Rogue was greedy—it was just how Night City deals worked. Whether you were buying guns, cyberware, meds, or intel from a fixer, once you sealed the contract and paid the deposit, you couldn't just yank it all back. With Leo having paid in full up front, she could only return maybe eighty percent; the rest would be considered the deposit.
"That's not it. I'd like to add more items to my purchase."
Her reply surprised Rogue slightly. She raised an eyebrow. "All right. Let's hear it."
Leo rattled off the materials required for building his newly discovered "custom combat armor."
"Sure," Rogue said once he finished. "Give me some time. Once I have everything, I'll deliver it in one batch to wherever you want."
That efficiency was part of why she reigned as Night City's top fixer.
"One more thing," Leo added.
"What is it?"
"For these new materials, can I pay on an installment plan? I'm short on eddies."
Silence. Rogue didn't speak, and neither did Leo. They simply stared at each other through the holo-call for a moment.
"You realize what you're asking for isn't cheap, right?"
"I know."
"And you also know you're not quite famous enough for me to trust you on that level."
A slight smirk appeared at the corner of Rogue's mouth. Her voice wasn't the cold monotone of a typical deal—it felt more like a senior figure testing an upstart.
"You don't have to trust me," Leo said calmly.
"Oh?"
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