CYBERPUNK: Travel to 2075

Changing Thoughts

David's mother had always told him that joining the Arasaka Corporation was the key to a decent life—a stable future filled with happiness and security. Although David never completely agreed, he had accepted her words. Her unwavering belief in Arasaka had shaped his goals: to enter the corporation, work his way up, and bring stability to their lives.

He believed that this path, while not necessarily fulfilling, would ensure stability and, most importantly, make his mother happy.

But everything he had been taught, everything he had believed, was shattered in an instant by what he had just witnessed.

A decent life…

David stared at the lifeless body of the well-dressed middle-aged man lying in the filthy alley, surrounded by drunken vomit and trash. The man had clearly lived a far better life than David ever had. His position in Arasaka must have been high—perhaps the kind of status David could only dream of after decades of loyal service.

And yet, here he was. Shot in the head, reduced to nothing more than a corpse. He hadn't even struggled. Not a word of protest. Not a flicker of resistance.

David's chest tightened. His thoughts raced. Is this the future I'm working toward? Is this what my mother wanted for me? To end up like this man—wealthy, respected, and yet powerless when it truly matters?

He clenched his fists, his mind swirling with doubt. His mother's words—her hopes, her expectations—suddenly felt hollow. Was happiness really possible within Arasaka? Could joining the corporation truly bring her the safety she dreamed of?

David glanced at Karl, who stood beside him, calm and unshaken. Karl seemed untouchable, a figure of strength and independence that starkly contrasted with the dead man in the alley.

"David," Karl's voice broke the silence, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Having second thoughts?"

Before David could respond, the three Arasaka agents, having completed their grim task, turned their attention to the two young men standing nearby.

"A couple of street punks hoping to loot the corpse?" one of them sneered, his prosthetic eye scanning Karl and David. "There's nothing here for you. Not even the body—it belongs to Arasaka."

But as the scan completed, the agent froze. His expression shifted from disdain to alarm.

"K… mercenary Karl."

The words left his lips in a hushed tone, as if speaking them too loudly would invoke disaster.

The other two agents immediately stepped back, their hands twitching toward their weapons. They knew who Karl was. His reputation as a mercenary was legendary, especially among those who worked in Night City's corporate security. Stories of his exploits circulated widely—tales of how he had taken down cyberpsychos and elite operatives with terrifying precision.

The lead agent, despite his professional demeanor, couldn't mask his unease. He took a step back, then quickly recovered, forcing himself to remain steady under Karl's gaze.

"This… this isn't your business, is it?" the lead agent asked cautiously.

Karl smirked. "Relax. I'm not here for Arasaka. I just came to watch the show. You do your thing—I'm not interested in interfering. At least not without a contract."

The agents visibly relaxed at his words. The two who had backed away immediately stepped forward to collect the body, but not without casting nervous glances in Karl's direction. They smiled awkwardly at him as they dragged the corpse away, their earlier arrogance completely gone.

The lead agent hesitated for a moment, then turned to Karl and gave a forced smile. "Thank you for your understanding."

Karl raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you leaving?"

The agent's smile faltered. "Ah… yes. Of course."

With that, he hurried after his subordinates, practically tripping over himself in his haste to leave the alley.

Karl turned to David, who was staring at him with a complicated expression.

"What's that look for?" Karl asked, chuckling lightly. "Still hard to process?"

David shook his head. "No, it's not that. I just… I just realized how different we are. You're someone who can make his own rules, live his own life, and even scare off Arasaka agents without lifting a finger. And me… I'm just a kid trying to join their ranks."

Karl's smirk faded as he studied David. The kid looked shaken—not just from what he had seen, but from what it had made him question about himself.

David hesitated, then spoke again. "Maybe… maybe becoming a mercenary like you wouldn't be so bad. But could I protect my mother that way? Could I convince her that it's the right path?"

Karl didn't respond immediately. His communicator buzzed, interrupting the moment. Glancing at the message, his expression grew serious.

"Tanaka's location confirmed," the message read.

Karl slipped his communicator back into his pocket and turned to David. "Let's go. We've got work to do."

David followed, his mind still wrestling with the newfound doubts about his future. For the first time in his life, the idea of becoming an Arasaka employee no longer seemed like the only path forward.