"Peter, what do you think these chips in the box are for?"
V took a bite of the bread delivered by the robotic server and tapped the insulated box containing the relic chip.
"Could this chip be connected to the soul storage project that Arasaka has been promoting recently?" Lucy speculated. Lately, Arasaka had been publicizing their efforts to revive stored consciousness using advanced technology.
This project wasn't a secret in Night City. Although primarily marketed toward the upper class, even the lower class had ways of acquiring such information.
"Heh, the only way to know for sure is to try it."
Without hesitation, Peter took out the relic chip, examining it closely. Unlike in games, where it simply glowed, the real-life texture and intricacy of the chip made it evident that this was no ordinary piece of tech.
Then, without another word, he slotted the chip into his own neural interface.
"Peter, why do you always test dangerous stuff on yourself?"
V sighed, shaking her head. Since arriving in Night City, Peter had done one reckless thing after another. Now, he was even inserting an unknown chip into his brain.
Peter didn't respond immediately. He was too busy processing the immense data within the relic chip. Transferring human consciousness into digital form was an enormous undertaking.
Even with his superhuman brain, it took nearly ten minutes to fully process Johnny Silverhand's consciousness. By comparison, Arasaka's most advanced supercomputer had taken an entire day to accomplish the same task. If their scientists knew about this, they'd probably smash their heads against the nearest wall in frustration.
As the data settled, Peter found himself immersed in memories—memories that weren't his own.
---
A Memory from the Past
A blinding spotlight shone down from above, illuminating the stage. Below, a roaring crowd chanted his name.
"Johnny!"
"Johnny Silverhand! You're a god!"
Johnny Silverhand smirked as he looked out at the sea of fans. Then, his gaze shifted to the side of the stage, where Alt Cunningham stood watching him, a complicated expression on her face.
The last song ended. The cheers reached a fever pitch.
Johnny raised his iconic Malorian 3516 pistol into the air.
BANG!
The crowd erupted even louder, mistaking the gunshot for part of the show. None of them knew this would be Johnny Silverhand's final performance.
As he turned away from the stage, he ran a hand over his guitar one last time—anger, defiance, and nostalgia coursing through him.
But there was no time for sentimentality. Johnny descended the steps.
"Johnny! Wait!"
Kerry Eurodyne, his longtime bandmate, rushed up to him, desperation in his eyes.
"It's not too late to turn back! Just go back on stage!"
Johnny shoved him away, grabbing his collar with a firm grip.
"F* the stage. F*** the audience. You do you, Kerry. That's my advice."**
Kerry clenched his fists, his expression torn.
"Goddamn it, I'm gonna miss you. So much."
Johnny smirked.
"You'll miss me in your next life too, dumbass."
With that, he pushed open the metal door and walked out.
---
Rogue & The Final Mission
The rooftop was dimly lit. Rogue stood there, arms crossed.
"You're late."
Johnny grinned. "Hey, I love it when you get all feisty. It's kinda hot."
"Shut up. If you keep running your mouth, I'll leave you behind."
She rolled her eyes, already used to his attitude.
Soon, the team was airborne.
"Woo-hoo! Now this is what Night City is all about!"
Johnny cheered as the cityscape blurred beneath them, already in chaos.
"Let's make some noise."
Peter fast-forwarded the memory. He was more interested in the aftermath than the setup.
---
The End of Johnny Silverhand
The operation was a success. The nuclear bomb was placed in the elevator shaft of Arasaka Tower.
"F* you, Arasaka. Burn in hell."**
As the explosion ripped through the structure, Johnny sprinted toward the exit—only to find himself face-to-face with a nightmare.
A massive figure landed in front of him with a resounding THUD.
Adam Smasher.
"F***! That's Adam Smasher!" one of Johnny's team members shouted through the comms.
With heavy, deliberate steps, the full-body cyborg approached.
"Which little cockroach sneaked into my house?"
Johnny gritted his teeth. He had no time to fight this monster.
After a tense chase through the building, he finally reached the rooftop. Rogue extended a hand toward him.
"Take my hand!"
For a moment, Johnny hesitated. But before he could reach her, he felt his feet give way.
He fell.
The last thing he saw was Rogue's expression—regret, fury, heartbreak.
Then came the pain.
Adam Smasher loomed over him, weapon aimed.
"I told you, Johnny. You'd die by my hand."
Johnny clenched his teeth, trying to reach for his pistol. But before he could pull the trigger—
BOOM!
A grenade round exploded in his face.
Darkness.
---
Back to Reality
Peter snapped out of the memory, his mind racing.
Johnny Silverhand had lived a hell of a life. No wonder his consciousness was burning with so much anger and defiance.
"Hey, Peter, you good?"
V waved a hand in front of his face.
Peter exhaled slowly. "Yeah. Just… a lot to process."
Lucy crossed her arms. "So? What's on the chip?"
Peter smirked.
"Johnny Silverhand."
Both Lucy and V blinked in surprise.
"Wait. You mean the Johnny Silverhand?"
"The one and only. And he's very much still alive in this relic chip."
A silence stretched between them before V whistled.
"Damn. That's heavy."
Lucy narrowed her eyes. "And? What do you plan to do with it?"
Peter leaned back against the couch, arms crossed.
"For now? Nothing. But if Johnny wants revenge… I might just be willing to help."
A fire burned in his eyes.
The game had changed.
---
To Be Continued…
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