Cyberpunk: The Relentless

After closing the door behind him, Karl gestured for Ken'ichiro to sit down.

For nearly two minutes, they sat in silence, staring at each other.

Karl, growing impatient with Ken'ichiro's scrutinizing gaze, was the first to speak.

"So, Mr. Ken'ichiro, why exactly are you here at this hour? I don't think I know who you are."

"I am a bodyguard."

The response was short and direct. But that wasn't enough for Karl.

"A bodyguard? So, tell me, Mr. Ken'ichiro, why aren't you busy protecting your client?"

Karl smirked, keeping things lighthearted but laced with sarcasm.

"I don't recall hiring any security services. Unless, of course, you're offering your protection for free—though, I have to decline. Free things tend to be the most expensive."

Despite the baiting, Ken'ichiro remained silent.

His eyes never wavered from Karl, but his calm, measured gaze somehow made Karl uneasy.

There was a presence about this man.

A sense of danger.

It wasn't just a feeling—Karl's body instinctively reacted.

His temple and chest began to feel a phantom pain, as if Ken'ichiro had already sized up the weakest points on his body.

'This guy locked onto my vital points in an instant…'

Karl wasn't used to being watched like this. It was uncomfortable.

So, with a casual wave of his hand, he cut the interaction short.

"Look, I was polite enough to let you inside. If you've got nothing important to say, don't waste my time."

Ken'ichiro ignored his words completely. Instead, he made a comment.

"Your skills are impressive."

Karl sighed. Was this guy testing him?

"Yeah, thanks for the compliment. Now, what do you want?"

Ken'ichiro finally got to the point.

"I came to offer you a job."

From inside his suit jacket, he pulled out a document and placed it on the glass coffee table between them.

"You qualify for this."

Karl picked up the papers, expecting it to be some kind of mercenary contract.

Instead, his eyes narrowed.

"An employment salary sheet?"

At the top of the document, the company name was clearly printed:

[DANGER GIRL DETECTIVE AGENCY]

Karl had heard of them.

[DANGER GIRL]

A private investigation, security, and personal protection agency based in Night City.

Founded by Arasaka Michiko, the company became infamous for its investigators—young female detectives enhanced with cyberware like cat ears for heightened sensory perception.

Though they had declined in recent years, Danger Girl still dominated a significant portion of the market.

Karl froze for a moment.

'Arasaka Michiko's private detective agency… is scouting me? At midnight?'

He kept his expression neutral, flipping through the details of the contract to understand what kind of deal they were offering.

Because Karl identified as male, he wouldn't be joining as a cat-eared, cybernetically enhanced detective girl. His role would be focused on security and bodyguard work, with a month-to-month contract.

The benefits he'd receive included:

Discounts on popular cyberware.

Not a big deal. He could already get discounts from Viktor.

No mention of internal-grade gear, meaning at best, it would be on par with his current Arasaka Type-3 cyberware—high quality, but already outdated for him.

Performance-based commission.

His cut depended on client satisfaction, maxing out at 60%.

Not great. He made 100% on his own jobs.

Why would working for a company lower his share?

Minimal standby time.

He only had to show up when needed.

If he wasn't notified, the agency took full responsibility.

Something felt off…

The wording made him feel like a contingency plan—or a last-resort specialist.

Was this even a normal bodyguard role?

Base salary: 300,000 eddies per month.

300,000 per month…

That's 3.6 million per year.

If bonuses applied, it could reach 4 or even 5 million annually.

Higher than most mid-level corporate managers.

For a bodyguard?

Karl knew he was worth that kind of money, but… why was a detective agency—not Arasaka or Militech—offering him such a high salary?

His gut told him something wasn't right.

Karl locked eyes with Ken'ichiro.

"Why?"

"Why are you offering me this job?"

Karl wasn't blind.

From the moment Ken'ichiro walked in, his expression had been one of disdain and scrutiny.

Why would an agency send someone who clearly disliked him to recruit him?

Ken'ichiro exhaled slowly.

"Even now, I don't approve of you. But you qualify."

His tone was purely objective.

"You are among the top twenty people I've encountered."

'Top twenty?'

Karl wasn't sure if that was an insult or a compliment.

But more importantly…

"Then why not recruit someone from your 'top nineteen'? Why me?"

Ken'ichiro stared at him for several minutes.

Karl was starting to get annoyed again.

Finally, Ken'ichiro spoke, his tone slightly heavier.

"Because you are someone whom Miss trusts."

"Miss?"

"You have protected her before."

Arasaka Michiko's private agency.

Ridiculously high salary.

"Last-minute emergency response" role.

A "Miss" he had protected before…

Karl looked at the contract again.

No restrictive clauses.

No non-compete agreements.

"No full-time duties, just emergency response?"

Ken'ichiro's gaze sharpened.

"You're not allowed to be around during normal operations."

His tone shifted slightly, carrying an undercurrent of warning.

Karl grinned.

He tapped the paper lightly with his fingers.

"I think we can discuss some details when finalizing the contract."

His grin widened.

"Tell me… does your agency allow part-time employees?"

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