126-130

*Chapter 126: Becoming Less Human by the Day * 

"I gotta say, every time I come back to Night City, the smell hits me like I’ve just crawled out of a sewer." 

Riku took a deep breath. The air quality in Night City was, frankly, pretty bad. Fifty years had passed since the nuke went off, but its effects still lingered over this land. 

Back in 2023, the nuclear blast obliterated the Arasaka Tower in Corporate Plaza. The explosion turned the entire city center into rubble in an instant, the shockwave wiping out most people in its path. 

What followed was a small earthquake. The reclaimed land Night City was built on liquefied, triggering a flood of seawater that poured into the city. 

Tons of concrete and steel from the blast zone turned to ash, raining down like a storm across Northern California and the Pacific Ocean. This ash-rain phenomenon lasted for months. 

For nearly two years after, the sky was cloaked in red dust clouds. Even years later, at dawn and dusk, the sky still glowed a dark crimson. People back then called it “The Time of the Red Sky.” 

The people of Night City spent ten, twenty, thirty years rebuilding their home, sacrificing countless lives to clean up the nuclear fallout, just to make the city livable again. 

Even so, air pollution and acid rain were still common. If you wanted to live a bit better, you needed at least an air purifier. 

Of course, environmental issues weren’t unique to Night City—they were a global problem. 

The Himalayan War kicked up massive amounts of dust into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface. Hurricanes and sandstorms grew more frequent, glaciers melted, sea levels rose, and humanity’s living space kept shrinking. 

“CHOOH2” was all the rage now, partly because the Middle East had turned into a scorched, human-forbidden wasteland, and partly because clean energy like solar and wind had lost their footing due to environmental issues. 

“Biotech companies…”  

Riku muttered to himself as he connected to the net. A flood of messages came through—mostly from old friends. 

This time, he’d been gone longer than usual, but after his last trip, his crew wasn’t too frantic. Most of their messages were just sentimental. 

Riku skimmed through them as he headed to meet Old Vic. His first order of business was to get four kakuja implanted—his spoils from this latest adventure. 

Riku had already activated his “Mimic Human” ability, shifting into a normal human form. He’d prepared in advance before crossing back, making sure to change into clothes that actually fit. 

“Devil, where are you at? You safe?!” 

“Devil, you better tell me the second you’re back!” 

“Devil, keep yourself hidden! The corp dogs are sniffing around for you!” 

“Devil…” 

The first batch of messages came from Neko-neeto Lady. Riku scrolled through them one by one. 

He could tell Sasha was all over the place emotionally—clearly still carrying guilt over something. 

Riku didn’t rush to reply. Instead, he moved on to the other messages. 

“Holy crap, Riku! You’re legit famous now!” 

“We said we’d become legends together, you jerk! How’d you go off and pull something this big without me and Jack?!” 

“Stay low out there—that’s what you get for not bringing us along! If we’d been there, we’d have taken down those Trauma Team goons no problem!” 

“Come find us when you’re back! Corp dogs can’t touch Heywood! The Wild Wolf’s your home forever!” 

“That chip you gave me saved my life. Thanks, man!” 

V and Jack’s messages came one after another. Riku got to the latest one—V’s review of the “Breathing Technique Chip.” 

“What the hell did these two get up to? Almost got themselves killed?”  

Riku shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated. Saved his life, huh? Seems like these two idiots had been busy while he was gone. 

Still scrolling through messages, Riku made his way to “Misty’s Esoterica.” 

Misty was in the middle of a tarot reading for a customer. Riku vaguely recalled that Misty’s tarot skills were the real deal. 

“Need something, stranger?”  

Misty greeted him politely as he walked in, not recognizing him. 

With his “Mimic Human” ability shrinking him down a size, Riku’s appearance had changed drastically. It wasn’t surprising she didn’t clock him. 

Gone were the iconic devil horns on his head, the massive frame, the rugged face, and the menacing vibe.  

Now, Riku looked way more… normal. Too normal, maybe. He’d lost all his signature traits. 

To someone who’d met him in his full-on akuma glory, this sunny, handsome look was completely unfamiliar. 

“I’m here for Old Vic,” Riku said with a wink, keeping his identity under wraps. There were strangers around, and his status was sensitive—he couldn’t risk being exposed. 

But the moment he spoke, Misty’s expression faltered. He hadn’t bothered changing his voice. 

“Uh… Vic’s downstairs,” she said, frowning as she gave Riku another once-over. There was something familiar in his eyes, but honestly, she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. The difference was too stark. 

Riku slipped out through the back door and headed down to Old Vic’s shop. Vic was glued to a boxing match, one hand propping up his chin, the other tapping lightly on his knee, totally engrossed. 

“Yo, Vic, I’m back,” Riku said, pushing open the door. 

“Hm? Riku?”  

Vic turned at the sound of his voice, his face shifting from confusion to shock. 

He was puzzled at first—Riku was back in Night City already? But seeing him, the real surprise hit. Riku’s transformation was wild. 

“What… how’d you pull this off?”  

Vic looked him up and down, confusion creeping back in. 

Sure, Vic had been the one to suggest a makeover, but he clearly hadn’t expected this. Riku’s new body showed zero signs of cosmetic surgery. It was like he’d been born this way. 

“This tech… it’s unreal. I couldn’t do that,” Vic said, shaking his head in awe, looking almost embarrassed. 

“Don’t sweat it, Vic. Nobody can pull this off—it’s just me,” Riku said with a wave, not hiding anything from Vic. Right there, he shifted back into his “Akuma Form.” 

He’d once been jealous of Nezuko Tanjiro’s ability to “shrink and grow at will.” Now, he’d basically unlocked a version of it himself. 

“Whoa…”  

Vic’s jaw dropped, his exclamation half-stuttering. This was way beyond anything he’d imagined. 

But he quickly realized he wasn’t that shocked. Maybe Riku had thrown so many surprises his way that Vic was just used to it by now. 

A guy who could survive getting his head chopped off or his torso split in half? Body transformation didn’t seem that crazy in comparison. 

“Vic, I got some new tech. Think you can replicate it and help me implant these?”  

Riku grinned, unbothered by Vic’s reaction. He sent over the surgical footage he’d recorded. 

Then, right in front of Vic, Riku pulled four pristine kakuja from the shadow at his fingertips. 

The storage space in his shadow really did have a preservation effect. The kakuja were as fresh as when he’d extracted them from the bodies—no decay despite the time that had passed. 

“…”  

Vic froze, trying to process what he’d just seen. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. What was this? A jigen pocket dimension? This sci-fi stuff was real? Did biotech companies have this kind of tech? 

“Want one?”  

Riku didn’t explain. Instead, he pulled a red apple from his shadow storage and handed it to Vic, who took it stiffly, his expression blank. 

“Don’t worry, it’s all-natural,” Riku said with a chuckle. Sure, he couldn’t eat this stuff himself, but he could share it with his crew. 

He’d brought back wild game before, letting these “future-world bumpkins” get a taste of something new. 

“I remember when I was a kid, apple trees were everywhere. They’d get so ripe they’d fall off, rot on the ground, and nobody’d even bother picking them,” Vic said, shaking off his shock and taking a nostalgic tone. 

“It’s hard to imagine now—fields growing stuff on their own, no bioengineering, no artificial cultivation. Back then, apples were just… normal. Every kid knew what they looked like, what they tasted like. Even regular people could have as many as they wanted.” 

Crunch. Vic took a bite of the apple. The real thing was something else—nothing like synthetic flavors. He hadn’t splurged on fake fruit, but he could tell this wasn’t some lab-grown knockoff. 

“I’ve got plenty more where that came from,” Riku said, plopping into a chair, all swagger. The world of Tokyo Ghoul was a low-difficulty dungeon for him. The truly powerful players there were few and far between. 

With his current strength, as long as he didn’t get too cocky, he was basically untouchable there. It was practically his personal supply hub. 

“Nah, if I ate that many of your apples, I’d end up working for you for free forever,” Vic joked, sitting down with a grin. He started watching the surgical footage Riku had sent, munching on the apple. 

Even though Riku brushed it off, Vic wasn’t clueless. A real apple was worth a fortune. After a moment, Vic spoke up confidently:  

“Minor surgery. No problem.” 

Vic made it sound easy. This kind of transplant was child’s play for him, though the kakuja themselves seemed… unusual. Not your standard organs or cyberware. 

“These are called kakuja. They’ve got these special Rc cells—pretty unique stuff,” Riku explained, handing the four kakuja to Vic. He hopped onto the operating table like it was his living room couch. 

“New experimental product?” Vic asked, exasperated. Wasn’t Riku supposed to be laying low? How’d he come back with new test gear? 

Laying low? More like he went off for an industrial upgrade! 

Vic grumbled to himself but didn’t slow down. He started replicating the surgery. 

The improved “Half-Ghoul Surgery” hinged on refining the kakuja. Riku had brought back plenty of “Quinque Steel” too, and he’d recorded every step of the kakuja refinement process. 

Vic’s technical skills and comprehension were top-tier. He understood every move Kanou Meibo made in the footage. 

Tsukiyama Shuu’s Koukaku, Kamishiro Rize’s Rinkaku, Ibird Keri’s Ukaku, and Nick’s Bikaku—Vic quickly upgraded all four kakuja. Unlike the surgery for the Anku Sisters, Riku told Vic to crank the kakuja output to max. 

A human’s fragile body needed gradual adjustment to avoid going haywire, but Riku didn’t have that problem. 

He could handle full power right away. His body didn’t need to “adapt.” Even if he overloaded and became irreversibly ghoulified, it wouldn’t matter—he couldn’t eat normal food anyway. 

Of course, Riku wasn’t about to let that happen. He’d had Kanou Meibo refine the “Half-Ghoul Surgery” precisely to avoid unnecessary complications. 

What if he finally optimized his Onika to eat normal food, only to be stuck as a ghoul who couldn’t? 

Vic worked fast. The surgery wasn’t a big deal for him—he’d already mastered the transplant method. 

Though the footage only showed the Rinkaku transplant, Riku explained where the Ukaku, Koukaku, and Bikaku needed to go. Each kakuja had a specific growth spot, where ghouls naturally developed them. 

“Transplant done,” Vic said soon enough, looking at the monitor with a mix of surprise and suspicion. No wonder he thought Riku had gone off for an upgrade—his body had changed again. 

Riku stepped off the table, already feeling the kakuja syncing with his body. The Rc cells were flowing through his limbs, integrating seamlessly. 

[Detected special ability: Rc Cells.] 

[Rc Cells are altering physical constitution.] 

[Rc Cells are merging with “Onika” and “Iwao.”] 

[Rc Cells are enhancing “Onika.” Onika level increased. Constitution alteration updated.] 

[Rc Cells are enhancing “Iwao.” Iwao level increased.] 

[Onika Lv7: A unique constitution formed by fusing Demon King Blood and Rc Cells. Strength, Agility, Constitution +11, Charisma -7. Grants Blood Demon Art and altered constitution state. 

Constitution alteration updated: Kyoushoku: Can only consume humans, ghouls, demons, and coffee. 

Constitution alteration added: Kagune: A manifestation of imagination, the physical embodiment of Rc Cells. 

Current Kagune: Koukaku, Rinkaku, Bikaku, Ukaku.] 

[Iwao Lv3: Body protected by Rc Cells, resistant to standard weapons.] 

[Abilities merged. Renaming available. Proceed with naming?] 

The system chimed in with a flurry of notifications, catching Riku off guard. 

The Rc Cells had integrated into his existing abilities, boosting both Onika and Iwao. He could rename them now. 

Riku thought it over. Calling them Onika and Iwao didn’t quite fit anymore. Time for something new. 

“Let’s call Onika ‘Ultimate Lifeform.’ As for Iwao… maybe ‘Thick Skin’? Nah, that’s not quite right—Iwao isn’t just about tough skin.” 

After some hesitation, Riku settled on naming Onika “Ultimate Lifeform” and Iwao “Absolute Territory Field.” The latter had a futuristic, high-potential ring to it. 

“Ultimate Lifeform” was his endgame for Onika—no explanation needed. 

“Absolute Territory Field” was his hope for Iwao. Plus, the Rc Cells’ protection had a bit of a budget AT Field vibe from Evangelion. 

[Naming complete. “Onika” changed to “Ultimate Lifeform.” “Iwao” changed to “Absolute Territory Field.”] 

The system windows vanished one by one. Back in Vic’s clinic, Riku shifted into his Akuma Form. He unleashed his kagune. 

His devilish goat horns sprouted, the third eye on his forehead opened, and his massive, hulking frame looked downright absurd. 

A blue, spiral Koukaku extended from his shoulder blades, coating his right arm—a shield and a blade in one. 

Purple Rc Cells surged, forming a pair of wide, fallen-angel wings behind him, radiating an oppressive aura. 

Four red Rinkaku tentacles shot out from his waist, writhing like claws. A Bikaku tail extended from his tailbone, like a demon’s whip. 

“This is…”  

Vic stared, floored. It was beyond over-the-top, but he didn’t finish his sentence. 

“Getting less human by the day?” Riku finished for him with a grin. His current look was straight out of an Old Hell Reverse Pentagram Flag vibe—Satan himself would call it authentic. 

“Yeah, just a bit,” Vic admitted, unable to lie. It had a certain cyber-overmodded charm. 

“As long as it works,” Riku said, flexing his kagune and testing their control before retracting them and shifting back to his human form. 

They were handy, no doubt, but the one awkward thing? Using the kagune meant shredding his clothes every time. 

His shirt was torn at the right shoulder and upper back, his pants ripped above the tailbone. Good thing Nick’s Bikaku was slim, or his entire backside would’ve been exposed. 

“In that form, you don’t have to worry about being recognized,” Vic remarked, eyeing Riku’s human look. In Night City, he’d blend right in—no one would connect him to the infamous “Undying Demon” Devo Collins. 

“Undying Demon Devo Collins? Man, are Night City folks that chuunibyou?”  

Riku’s face practically turned into a sweating soybean emoji. You’d think Night City was Tokyo with all this neon flair. 

“WNS News came up with the nickname,” Vic said with a laugh. And yeah, WNS was backed by Japanese investors. 

“Well, thanks to their eighteen generations of ancestors,” Riku said, rolling his eyes. But it was actually a good thing. If Devo Collins was known for his goat horns and third eye, sticking to his human form would keep him under the radar. A little debuff was worth it. 

Chapter 127: Partners 

"Devil?! You’re finally back?!" 

After receiving Riku’s message, Sasha replied almost instantly, her words brimming with excitement. 

"Yeah, just got back to Night City." 

Riku sent the message from his rented apartment, brewing a cup of coffee. This was the coffee he brought back from the world of Tokyo Ghoul.  

Sure, the world of Cyberpunk 2077 had coffee—cafes were scattered all over Night City’s streets. But like most food here, it was synthetic, with questionable ingredients. Riku could barely stomach it. He needed the real stuff, the kind of legit coffee from a proper world. 

"You free? Can we meet now?" 

Sasha’s reply came quickly. She was eager to see Riku in person—she’d been worrying about him constantly these past few days. 

"Of course. Wanna swing by?" 

Riku sent the message to Sasha, then fired off texts to Jack and V, and let Lucy know he was safe. 

Lucy had messaged him earlier, but it was just a cryptic, "So you’re one too." 

If Riku didn’t know the plot of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, that line would’ve left him scratching his head. But knowing Lucy’s backstory, he understood the weight behind her words, the emotions packed into that simple "So you’re one too." 

"Looks like my identity as a biotech lab rat is pretty much set in stone now. It’s really sunk in." 

Riku chuckled. No matter how much Biotech denied it, nobody would buy it. Even Lucy was convinced. 

Lucy was raised by Arasaka as a specialized "net-diving girl" for the Old Net, while Riku was supposedly a lab-grown experiment from Biotech. That’s what her "So you’re one too" meant. 

Clearly, Riku’s situation hit Lucy hard, resonating with her own past. And compared to her, it seemed like Riku had it even worse. 

Bartmoss triggered the great Net collapse, unleashing AIs that waged war against human hackers, even overpowering them for a time. It wasn’t until the "Blackwall" was built that humanity reclaimed a stable new Net domain. But that war left tons of lost tech scattered across the Old Net. 

Recruiting powerful hackers to dive into the Old Net for that lost tech was a long shot—strong hackers were too rebellious. So, megacorps started scouting talented kids, brainwashing and training them from childhood to become "net-diving girls." Lucy was one of those kids, raised in an Arasaka facility. 

Once trained, these girls were sent to the Old Net to dig for treasures. Everyone knew how dangerous the Old Net was—one slip, and an AI could fry your brain. Entire diving teams sometimes got wiped out. The AIs beyond the Blackwall weren’t messing around. 

"What do you mean ‘one too’? I’m back in Night City." 

That was Riku’s reply to Lucy. He didn’t lean into the shared backstory to bond with her. Simple reason: his backstory was fake, but Lucy’s was real. 

Riku wasn’t in the habit of trading lies for genuine feelings. If Lucy misunderstood, that was on her—he wasn’t going to confirm it. 

"Alright, I’m coming over!" 

Sasha replied instantly. She knew where Riku lived. Her place wasn’t too far, though hers was a bit fancier—she had enough eddies to avoid slumming it. 

Knock knock knock! 

Riku had barely finished reading Sasha’s message when someone knocked at the door. A familiar scent hit him. 

He opened the door, and V’s bright red hair was the first thing he saw. Before he could say a word, V spoke first. 

"Who are you?" 

With that, V’s pistol was pressed against Riku’s forehead, her sharp, fierce face radiating caution and menace. 

"It’s me. Riku." 

Riku raised his hands in a mock French salute, grinning as he explained. 

"Riku? You…" 

V’s face was full of doubt. There was something familiar about this guy—his eyes and features kinda matched Riku’s—but the difference was night and day. This sunny, handsome guy was nothing like the rugged, muscle-bound maniac from before. 

"As you can see, I changed my look to dodge the heat. Pretty different, huh?" 

Riku grinned, then showed off his "size-shifting" ability. 

That trick was seriously useful. Not just for everyday disguises, but in fights too—shrinking his body size mid-battle had saved him before, like when he fought that half-Ghoul. Escaping binds, dodging attacks, whether it was melee slashes or ranged shots, shrinking suddenly could throw anyone off. 

"This…" 

V’s eyes widened, the absurdity hitting her. But somehow, with Riku, it felt… expected. 

"Come on in." 

Riku waved V inside, handing her a cup of coffee. 

"Hm? I thought you couldn’t drink—" 

V’s suspicion flared again, her gun half-raised. A flaw! Riku couldn’t stomach Night City’s sketchy food and drinks! 

This street-smart girl had one hell of an imagination, probably from all the urban legends she’d heard. She was starting to think this Riku might be an imposter. 

Now that she thought about it, if this guy could change his body, what’s stopping him from mimicking Riku’s appearance? 

The more V thought, the more plausible it seemed. Her eyes narrowed, and Riku could only sigh. 

"Chill, it’s really me." 

He hadn’t expected that showing off his shapeshifting would make his own crew doubt him. 

"Prove it." 

V plopped onto the couch, setting the coffee on the table without drinking it. 

Smart move—she wasn’t about to sip some random drink from a guy she wasn’t sure about. 

"Pissing on your tombstone count as proof?" 

Riku shook his head with a laugh, sipping his coffee. Trust her to make him say something so crude. 

"Hell yeah, Riku, you’re the real deal!" 

V burst out laughing, finally taking a swig of the coffee and giving him a thumbs-up. 

"The Immortal Devil, Devo Collins? Big name!" 

V shook her red hair, marveling. She was fully convinced now. 

It was a bit crude, but that tombstone thing was kind of their inside joke—a special code between them. 

"Big names don’t last long in Night City. Stick out too much, and you’re done." 

Riku shrugged humbly. In Night City, legends didn’t live long. 

"You really shouldn’t have come back. Half the bounty hunters in Night City are gunning for you." 

V chugged the rest of her coffee, smacking her lips like she was trying to taste something. 

Riku’s bounty was sky-high. Not just corporate dogs—every merc and lowlife was after the "Immortal Devil" Devo Collins. 

"They gonna recognize me looking like this?" 

Riku spun around in his human form. Old Vic had already given his professional opinion, but he wanted to hear what V, the street-smart chick, thought. 

"Didn’t even recognize you at first. Those guys? No chance." 

V was blunt, and her reaction backed up her words. 

"Good enough." 

Riku nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. 

The rich aroma bloomed in his mouth, a perfect mix of bitterness and depth that hit him right in the soul. 

He hadn’t been a coffee guy before, but tasting real food again after so long? He couldn’t get enough. This was step one—his diet was slowly expanding. One day, he’d eat like a normal person again. 

"Oh, right, Riku, I’m transferring you the eddies. It’s your cut from the meat we sold while you were gone." 

V spoke as she sent him the funds. Riku checked—41,000 eddies. 

While he was away, V and Jack had sold 60,000 worth of meat, and 41,000 was his share. 

"Ballsy move, dealing meat during all this heat." 

Riku teased. Biotech was hunting him down, and V and Jack were still bold enough to run real meat deals. Gutsy as hell. 

In Night City, selling real meat was like stealing straight from Biotech’s pocket. During a crackdown like this, one wrong move, and they could’ve been smoked. 

"Hmph, those corpos? They don’t scare us!" 

V sprawled on the couch, striking a cocky pose, her face all smug and devilish. 

"Impressive, boss." 

Riku played along, giving her a mock salute. 

"Honestly, we did get caught once. If it wasn’t for your breathing technique chip, we might not have made it out." 

V laughed, then got serious. Without that close call, they could’ve sold even more. 

"How’s the chip working out?" 

Riku finally got why V said the breathing chip saved her life. They’d run into Biotech’s goons. 

If it was just regular corporate dogs, V and Jack Welles could’ve slipped away no problem. But they’d crossed paths with a special "demon-hunting squad" sent after Riku. 

To catch the "Immortal Devil" Devo Collins, that squad was stacked—overkill personnel and firepower, all about overwhelming force. 

Riku hadn’t faced them himself, but V and Jack got a taste of it first. 

"Works like a charm. If you sold those chips, you’d make way more eddies than selling meat." 

V couldn’t stop raving about the breathing chip. They didn’t understand how it worked, but that didn’t stop them from reaping the benefits. 

Knock knock knock! 

As Riku and V chatted, another knock came. Riku shifted back to his "demon form" before opening the door. There stood Jack Welles, grinning ear to ear. 

"Hey, choom! Welcome home! Man, I’m stoked you’re back safe!" 

Jack pulled Riku into a big bear hug. 

"Easy, Jack, don’t get all sappy on me." 

Riku laughed, pulling back. He’d wait till everyone arrived before switching to human form—save himself the hassle of explaining over and over. 

"Looking like you did alright out there." 

Lucy stepped out from behind Jack, adding a splash of color to the scene. She’d rushed over after getting his message and ran into Jack downstairs. 

Before Riku could respond, V cut in with a smirk. "This is Night City’s Immortal Devil we’re talking about. Where can’t he make it?" 

Riku shot her a playful eye-roll. 

"Come on in." 

Riku ushered Lucy and Jack inside, and the four of them settled in the room. 

"What were you guys talking about?" Jack asked, jumping right into the conversation. 

"The breathing technique chip. I was saying we should start a company to sell it," V replied, sparking Jack’s enthusiasm. 

"Hell yeah, that thing’s insane! I’ve been boxing and training for years, and I had no idea breathing could do that. If we sold it, it’d sell out in a heartbeat!" 

Jack was all in, marveling at the chip. For a guy who swore by scientific training, the breathing technique felt like it broke all the rules. 

But, well, it came from Riku. Weird was par for the course with him. 

Jack, V, and Old Vic had all gotten used to Riku’s brand of crazy. 

Lucy stayed quiet, still not knowing Riku well. She hadn’t tried the breathing chip either. 

"Let’s keep it for ourselves for now. Selling it? We’d need to plan carefully. We don’t have the capital to back it up yet." 

Riku wasn’t sold on V’s idea to market the chip. Like Pilar said, they couldn’t protect that kind of tech. Corpos ate up anything profitable, and expecting to quietly cash in without them noticing was a pipe dream. Megacorps had tens of thousands of employees, all itching to climb the ladder. 

A new tech like this? It was a golden ticket for any ambitious corpo. Everyone would be gunning for it. 

This wasn’t the wild growth era or the corporate wars. Things were stable now, and stability was the worst for newcomers trying to shake things up. Especially after Kang Tao rose to giant status in just a couple of decades, putting pressure on Arasaka. 

Nobody wanted a new Kang Tao in their industry. If a strong newcomer popped up, rival corps—usually at each other’s throats—would team up to crush them. The market was a fixed pie: you gain, I lose. A new player cutting into everyone’s slice? They’d gang up and take you out. 

Riku wasn’t about to work his ass off just to hand it all to someone else. Plus, he had to think about V and Jack’s safety. Black market deals were one thing—those had rules. But going public? No way to stay under the radar then. 

Riku could skip town if things got hot, but Jack and V couldn’t. Starting a company recklessly could get them all killed. 

Knock knock knock! 

Another knock at the door. Riku opened it, and there was Sasha—cat-head lady herself—looking thrilled. 

"Riku! You’re okay! I’m so relieved!" 

Sasha threw her arms around him, her worries melting away. The weight she’d been carrying was finally gone. 

Sasha hated being a burden, but somehow, she felt like she’d caused Riku a lot of trouble. It had been eating at her. 

Chapter 128: Devil Worshippers 

"Tch, tch, tch!" 

Seeing Sasha hug Riku, V let out a teasing noise from behind. 

"Haha, Sasha’s been worried sick about you, scared you’d gotten into trouble," Jack chimed in with a grin. Sasha had been asking them about Riku, clearly on edge the whole time. 

Jack and V already knew the full story—how Riku got caught up in trouble because of Sasha’s mess. So, her reaction didn’t surprise them. 

Lucy watched quietly, her expression thoughtful. 

"I’m fine, no need to worry." 

Riku patted Sasha’s head with a smile. 

She let go quickly, her face flushing red. The cat-head lady realized she’d gotten carried away and felt a bit shy. 

"Sorry… I…" 

Sasha stammered, embarrassed, but Riku didn’t let her stew in awkwardness. 

"Come on in, let’s talk." 

He tugged her inside, saving her from further embarrassment. 

"Riku, is this really okay?" Sasha asked as soon as she sat down, concern written on her face. 

Even though some time had passed, Riku’s old look was well-known in Night City. Going out like that? He’d definitely get recognized. 

"Just about to show you guys something." 

Riku grinned and shifted back to his human form. The “living transformation” left Jack, Lucy, and Sasha dumbfounded. 

"This… this… this…" 

Jack Welles pointed at Riku, looking like he’d seen a ghost. 

"Well? No one’s gonna recognize me like this, right?" 

Riku glanced at his crew. Their stunned expressions confirmed it—his new look was worlds apart from the old one. No one would connect the dots. 

"You bastard, you made yourself this good-looking?!" Jack finally blurted out, half-accusing. 

"Nah, nah, this is only, like, seventy percent of my true charm," Riku replied with a smirk, wagging his finger like he wasn’t fully satisfied with the result. 

"Give me a break!" V rolled her eyes. "Getting cocky now, huh?" But she had to admit, Riku’s new look was way easier on the eyes. 

After fusing with Rc cells, his [Oni Transformation] skill had leveled up, boosting his charisma a bit. In human form, his charisma stat hit 13—good enough to turn heads. 

"Oh, by the way, I scored some fresh fruit. Wanna try?" 

Ignoring V’s jab, Riku summoned his shadow, which morphed into a suitcase. He popped it open, revealing a stash of fruit. 

"Here, dig in." 

He handed out fruit to the group, who were once again floored by his casual shadow trick. 

"V, Jack, we’re adding this stuff to our shop’s inventory. Gotta go big—offer everything, take custom orders, even weird food. I can probably figure out a way to get it." 

As he passed out the fruit, Riku laid out his plan to V and Jack. They couldn’t stop ripping off Biotech—corpos might crack down, but demand was demand. Someone would always sell. 

"Riku, didn’t you… go lay low?" Jack bit into an apple, voicing the question Old Vic had held back. 

"You didn’t actually hide out in a Biotech lab, did you?" V’s face was pure disbelief. "This isn’t laying low—it’s restocking! Like you looted their whole damn lab!" 

Stealing new tech and a haul of naturally grown food? Was he treating Biotech’s labs like his personal garden?! 

"If Biotech wasn’t already humiliated by what you pulled, I’d think they sent you out on purpose. This is too wild!" Jack added, shaking his head. 

It made sense he’d think that. Riku’s transformation was undeniable, and it was beyond their comprehension. The only explanation was cutting-edge tech—something only Biotech’s mad scientists could cook up. 

"Don’t start rumors. I’m Riku, solo operator, no ties to Biotech. But one day, I’m gonna take down every one of those crazy scientists." 

Riku denied it flat-out, his tone dripping with disdain for Biotech. His friends exchanged looks—they didn’t buy it. The idea that Devo Collins was a Biotech lab experiment was basically public fact by now. 

They figured Riku just didn’t want to admit it. Owning up would mean admitting he was some kind of lab-grown monster. 

Lucy’s expression was complicated. She felt she understood Riku’s reluctance better than anyone. She never talked about her own time in Arasaka’s labs either. 

"I’m switching identities. Devo Collins is too hot to use publicly. From now on, call me Devil when I’m out. Total cut from Devo Collins!" 

Riku dropped the news. Devo Collins was too infamous for daily use, but Devil was just a codename—he could keep that. 

"Lots of ‘Devils’ popping up lately. Night City loves its hero worship, especially for anyone fighting the corps or the government. Bottom-dwellers eat that up," Jack said. He’d even seen guys in Heywood copying Devo Collins’ style. 

"Devil worship in Heywood? That’s just asking for a beatdown," V scoffed, not joking. 

The Valentino gang had already cracked down, pummeling the wannabes in Heywood who wore devil horns and copied Riku’s weird tattoos. 

"Those devil worshippers aren’t exactly saints. They really think they’re demons from hell, running wild," Jack said, clearly in the know. He glanced at Riku and got straight to the point. 

"They call themselves Devo Collins’ followers. They’re praying you, the Immortal Devil, will show up and grant them eternal life." 

After spotting those worshippers in Heywood, Jack had done some digging. It was personal—his choom Riku was involved, so he had to keep tabs. 

He also knew Heywood was just a branch. The real base was in Santo Domingo, where a “Devil Gang” had formed. They were causing chaos, pissing off the 6th Street gang big time. 

"What else happened while I was gone? Spill." 

Riku’s eyes narrowed, feeling grossed out. Using his name to rob and rampage, treating him like some evil god—did they even ask the evil god himself? 

For the record, Riku never messed with regular folks. He took on scavs, corpos, or NCPD’s MaxTac—always punching up, never picking on the weak. 

If they worshipped him, shouldn’t they be hunting scavs or fighting corpos and the government? Using his name to hurt normies? What kind of nonsense was that? 

"Ahem, don’t get mad. Just a bunch of lunatics using your name as an excuse. Night City’s never short on those," Jack said, trying to calm him down. 

Nobody would feel great about taking the blame for someone else’s mess. 

"Let’s just go wipe them out," V said, straightening up on the couch and pulling out her gun. Riku was back—taking down this “Devil Gang” would be a perfect welcome-home party. 

"They need a lesson, or they’ll keep trashing your rep," Sasha added gravely, backing V’s plan. They couldn’t let this slide. 

She hadn’t heard much about this “Devil Gang.” They must be new, built around these devil worshippers using Devo Collins’ name to stir up trouble. 

"Pretty disgusting. If you need help, I’m in," Lucy said, throwing her support behind them. With her lens of seeing Riku as a kindred spirit, she didn’t mind lending a hand. 

Plus, if Sasha, an outside hacker, was pitching in, how could Lucy—the crew’s main netrunner—sit it out? 

"What are we waiting for? Let’s roll!" Jack hyped them up. He’d been bored out of his mind with no jobs lately. Smashing this Devil Gang would be a good stretch. 

"Hold up… we don’t have to kill them all. Maybe we can use them." Riku stood, agreeing they couldn’t ignore this, but wondering if a straight-up slaughter was the only way. Maybe these punks could be put to use. 

"Use them? They worship the Immortal Devil Devo Collins, dreaming of getting your immortality," V said, checking her weapons. "You really think you can make them like you?" 

Her tone was skeptical. If he couldn’t deliver that, there was no way those punks would listen. Obvious as hell. 

To V, they were just crazies using devil worship as an excuse to cause chaos—not true believers. If Devo Collins showed up, they wouldn’t bow—they’d probably sell him out to the corps. Or they’d freak out, scared of the real “Immortal Devil.” Classic case of loving the idea but fearing the reality. 

"V’s right," Jack nodded, clearly on the same page. Those “devil worshippers” weren’t trustworthy. 

"Devil, you’ve ditched the Devo Collins name. Don’t put yourself at risk. The corps are watching closely," Sasha urged. Just wipe out the reputation-tarnishers and call it a day—no need for extra trouble. Devo Collins should stay gone. 

Lucy stayed quiet, waiting to hear Riku’s plan. Her “kindred” clearly had more secrets than she did. 

"My kind of ‘using’ isn’t what you’re thinking," Riku said with a smile. 

He knew these worshippers weren’t reliable, and he had no plans to let those troublemakers live long. But they could still be useful in their own way. 

Could he make others like him? Not now, maybe someday. His [Oni Transformation], now called [Ultimate Being], couldn’t turn others into oni. 

But [Ultimate Being] wasn’t the only trick up his sleeve. He had “half-Ghoul surgery.” He could turn people into half-Ghouls. 

He still had plenty of kakuja packages—enough to make some half-Ghouls and study Rc cells further. 

Riku was teaching himself medicine, mechanics, and cyberware, aiming to become a tech expert. He needed “tools” to practice on. 

These worshippers, using his name to wreak havoc? They wouldn’t be wronged if they ended up as his test subjects. 

With their “enthusiastic help,” mastering half-Ghoul surgery would be a breeze. 

"Human experiments?" V’s face twisted. That sounded shady as hell, like something straight out of a corpo’s playbook. 

"Let me show you. This ability has huge potential. If used right, it could cure diseases, even save people on the brink of death." 

Riku stripped off his shirt, revealing his chiseled torso. V, Lucy, Sasha, and Jack were baffled, wondering what the sudden flex was about. 

Shing! 

Then, Riku unleashed all four types of kagune. The group was floored, their eyes blank with confusion, unable to process what they were seeing. 

Riku gave a quick rundown on Rc cells and the traits of the four kagune types. 

"Hard to damage with regular weapons, insane healing abilities, and versatile kagune." 

"Master Rc cells for medical use, and you can treat injuries and diseases like nothing." 

After his explanation, V, Lucy, Sasha, and Jack exchanged looks. This was… powerful. 

Chapter 129: In the End, I’ve Become the Demon King 

“Man, hearing you talk about it, I kinda wanna be your test subject,” V said, clicking his tongue. 

As long as you kept the usage in check, the side effects of high Rc cell concentration wouldn’t turn you into a man-eating kijin. It sounded safer than slapping on cyberware. 

Cyberware came with the risk of cyberpsychosis, and that stuff didn’t play fair. It didn’t care if you moderated your implant use—it could hit you anyway. Some folks got it from simple mods, like a new knee or kidney, and still ended up losing their minds. 

Not every cyberpsycho went out guns blazing against Trauma Team. Plenty just shut themselves off, pushing away friends, coworkers, even family. They went unnoticed, undetected, spiraling until they were too far gone. Some died quietly; others went out with a single gunshot. 

Truth is, the shadow of cyberpsychosis loomed over everyone who got cyberware, even while they enjoyed its perks. Scientists on corporate payrolls swore up and down that cyberware and cyberpsychosis weren’t linked—some even denied the condition existed. But the growing pile of cases was hard to ignore. 

Society forced people to get cyberware. Refuse an optical implant because of a 0.5% chance of blindness? Sorry, most jobs would slam the door in your face. People had no choice but to risk immune rejection, mental breakdowns, or implant dependency. 

But now, Riku was offering another option. According to him, as long as you didn’t overdo it with the Rc cells, there were no side effects. That was a game-changer, especially for the folks scraping by at the bottom. 

Sure, most of what Rc cells could do, cyberware could replicate—but good luck affording a full suite of implants with those effects. The rich got stronger through tech; the poor had to rely on mutation. That saying held water because tech-based power required serious cash and smarts. 

“This tech… it’s from a biotech company, right?” Jack Welles asked cautiously. It had that biotech vibe all over it. 

“Nah, not quite,” Riku said, brushing it off before diving into his plans. 

The kakuja used for test subjects were different from those turned into Quinque. Quinque were lifeless, fully flesh-integrated. But the kakuja for transplants retained cellular activity, so they couldn’t be completely flesh-activated. 

Still, the Quinque Steel fused with the kakuja—along with the hardware controlling their output—could be flesh-activated. Riku had already tested it. The flesh-activated Quinque Steel components carried over their control over the kakuja. 

Whether the kakuja could be used or unleash a kagune was entirely up to Riku. He could even use the flesh-activated Quinque Steel to destroy the kakuja, wrecking the recipient’s organs. A destroyed kakuja meant instant death from organ failure, since Rc cells couldn’t regenerate without it. 

Killing a ghoul was simple: destroy the kakuja. So, whether a test subject could use their new organ—or even survive—depended entirely on Riku’s whims. 

If Riku granted you power, you could use it. If he said no, you could strain all you wanted and get nowhere. 

You prayed to the “Undying Demon” Devo Collins for strength, and the “Undying Demon” answered, granting you power in exchange for your faith and loyalty. Betray that faith, and your power would be stripped away. 

This setup was straight-up demon worship. Those lacking sincerity wouldn’t just lose the ability—they’d lose their lives. 

And just like that, Riku was walking the path of a Kijin-ou—a Demon King. But his test subjects wouldn’t get to enjoy any freedom. To him, they were just “cadaver teachers” for his experiments. 

“Damn, Riku, you sure you’re not some jashin?” V shivered at the thought. Gaining power at such a cost felt like a raw deal. 

Your life and abilities in someone else’s hands? That wasn’t power—it was slavery. What was the point of getting strong if it didn’t make you freer? It was completely backward. 

Compared to that, this power wasn’t much different from cyberware. Cyberware made you a corporate slave; Riku’s power made you his slave. 

Capitalists and corporations were the jashin of this world, and Riku’s methods weren’t much different. 

“What’s this talk about jashin? You want power without a price? Good luck with that. And let’s be clear—this power isn’t for just anyone. If your compatibility’s too low, you’ll die trying to use it,” Riku said with a laugh. 

The “Half-Ghoul Surgery” had strict requirements. Sure, he had plenty of kakuja to work with, but finding enough compatible carriers for testing wasn’t guaranteed. Not just anyone could be a test subject. 

“So, what’s the plan? Catch ‘em all alive so you can test them one by one?” V asked, frowning. Killing was one thing; capturing alive was a whole different game. Way harder. Catching a hundred pigs would take effort—catching armed people? Forget it. 

“We might be able to help with that,” Sasha said with a grin. “Hack their systems, knock ‘em out—easy peasy. Lucy and I can handle it.” 

“Or slap on a non-lethal mod. Those things can hit without killing,” Jack Welles suggested. Non-lethal mods were perfect for live captures. 

“No need to complicate things. The Devil only blesses the fated. Kill who you gotta kill. Only the survivors get to face my test. If they don’t pass, they die anyway,” Riku said, keeping it simple. 

He had no love for that so-called Demon Gang. Kill them, fine. If a few lived, he’d test them to see if they were worthy of carrying kakuja as test subjects. 

“Let’s roll, then. I’ll lead the way,” Jack Welles said, standing up. Their Thorton could fit five no problem. He and Riku took the front, while V, Sasha, and Lucy squeezed into the back. 

The five of them left the room, each packing heat. Cyberpunks never left home without their weapons. 

Even if they’d just come to check on Riku, trouble could pop off anytime. You had to be ready to fight. 

“Whoa, new ride,” Riku said, spotting the Thorton downstairs. Their last one had been totaled, so this was a brand-new buy—straight off the lot. 

Thanks to the “Undying Demon” Devo Collins’ stunt, Thorton’s sales were soaring again. Say what you want, but that car’s quality and armor were legit. It could stroll through a hail of bullets and shrug off a minefield—no exaggeration. 

“Thanks to you, we know Thorton’s armor holds up. They owe you an endorsement deal,” Jack said, throwing up a thumbs-up. They hadn’t fully bought into Thorton’s hype before, but Riku’s real-world test proved the company wasn’t lying. 

“If I showed my face, they’d probably sign me up,” Riku said with a chuckle. For a car company like Thorton, his research value was minimal—they couldn’t handle that kind of heat. But they’d happily cash in on the publicity. 

Not all corp dogs were on the same page. Some were obsessed with tracking anything tied to Devo Collins; others couldn’t care less. A job this big? No way they’d get a piece of it. 

The five piled into the Thorton, and Jack drove straight for Santo Domingo. The Demon Gang had set up shop there. 

“These punks actually carved out a spot in Six Street’s territory?” V said, incredulous, as they pulled up to the Demon Gang’s hideout. It was a fortified factory, decked out with serious defenses. These guys had some skills. 

Santo Domingo was the new industrial zone, crawling with factories. But securing a spot like this in Six Street’s turf? That took guts. Six Street wasn’t a pushover. 

“Hang on… something’s off about this place,” Riku said, narrowing his eyes as they scoped out the factory. Six Street wasn’t exactly welcoming. Was this trap a bit too obvious? 

Chapter 130: Fishing 

“You’re saying this is a trap?” 

Riku’s words instantly put everyone on high alert. Jack Welles spoke up, his expression turning suspicious. 

Now that he thought about it, the speed at which this “Demon Gang” showed up was indeed a bit too eerie. 

Sure, Davos Collins had caused quite a stir, and the whole “Immortal Demon” thing definitely had some serious buzz. But it shouldn’t have been enough to gather a bunch of fanatical followers this quickly. 

If this Demon Gang was something cooked up by the corpo dogs, though, it made a lot more sense. 

“Yeah, this Demon Gang… it’s probably a lure.” 

Riku narrowed his eyes. Whoever came up with this plan had some brains—it was a slick move. They’d almost rushed in headfirst without thinking. 

This kind of tactic wasn’t guaranteed to work, but it was a clever test of human nature. As long as the “Immortal Demon” Davos Collins was still in Night City, no matter what kind of person he was, he’d likely pay at least some attention to a gang using his name. Maybe even get tangled up with them. 

For the corpo dogs, setting up a “Demon Gang” as bait was child’s play. No effort at all. 

Killing a few people in the process? That was nothing to them. As long as they could nab their test subject, any sacrifice was worth it. 

“Damn! These corpo dogs are ruthless!”  

V spat out a curse. This move hit them right where it hurt. For street punks like them, there was no way they could just let something like this slide. They’d definitely come looking to mess up these so-called Demon Gang wannabes. But the second they showed up, they’d walk right into the company’s trap—a trap tailor-made for Davos Collins. 

“Don’t do anything rash. Let’s get out of here.” 

Riku gave a quick warning. Jack Welles immediately fired up the car, and the Thorton slowly pulled away from the factory. 

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom! 

But even though they’d made their call and peeled out fast, the Demon Gang reacted just as quickly. 

The factory doors swung open, and two blood-red “Kusanagi CT-3X” motorcycles roared out, chasing after the still-accelerating Thorton. 

“Pull over!” 

The two Kusanagi bikes flanked the Thorton. The riders, sporting devil horns on their helmets and weird patterns painted on their faces, were banging on the car windows with their guns, shouting and looking ready to shoot if Riku’s crew didn’t stop. 

“Hold on.” 

Riku waved a hand, stopping Jack from slamming the gas. He rolled down the window and looked at the Demon Gang member. The car wasn’t going too fast yet, and the guy on the bike seemed pretty confident. 

“What’s the problem?”  

Riku asked calmly. He wanted to see if these so-called “disciples” of the Demon Gang could recognize him—the real “Immortal Demon.” This was the perfect chance to test how well his disguise held up. 

“Didn’t you hear me? I said pull the hell over!” 

The Demon Gang member on the Kusanagi didn’t bother answering. He was pissed, cursing up a storm, and raised his gun. The Thorton was still moving forward, ignoring their orders to stop by the roadside for a check. 

Clearly, this “devotee of Davos Collins” didn’t recognize Riku at all. That meant his disguise was working perfectly. 

Bang! 

Before Riku could say anything else, a bullet shot out from behind him, nailing the loudmouth Demon Gang member square in the forehead. 

The guy was packing subdermal armor, and it wasn’t cheap stuff either. Even though V’s shot was an armor-piercing round, it only left a dent in the guy’s forehead. 

“Shit!” 

The Demon Gang member’s head snapped back, his bike wobbling and skidding. He let out a sharp yell as the Thorton suddenly swerved, slamming into him and sending him flying to the side. Jack and V were in sync—one shot, one hit. 

“Why waste time talking to these guys? If we’re gonna do this, let’s do it! What, you scared of ‘em or something?” 

V was practically buzzing with excitement. So what if it was a corpo trap? Taking down corpo dogs wasn’t exactly new territory for them. 

Bang! Bang! Bang! 

The Demon Gang member on the other side of the car saw what happened and opened fire, unloading a barrage at the Thorton’s window. The bullets ricocheted off the bulletproof glass. 

“Piece of trash!” 

Jack Welles was just as hyped. He jerked the wheel, ramming the Thorton into the biker. The guy’s shots didn’t even scratch the window, but he ended up getting squeezed against the roadside by the car. 

V and Jack, two street kings raised in Heywood, didn’t know the meaning of fear. They acted without hesitation, not giving a second thought to the consequences. 

Riku’s expression was one of exasperation, but by now, he was pretty much convinced. This Demon Gang was shady as hell. Their reaction speed, their gear—it didn’t add up for a small-time gang that just popped up out of nowhere. 

The Thorton had been parked at the factory for maybe two minutes, tops, and the Demon Gang was already on them. Two punks on Kusanagi bikes, decked out with some pretty decent cyberware?  

If you told Riku those bikes and implants belonged to these Demon Gang nobodies, he wouldn’t buy it. With that kind of cash, why would they join a no-name gang that just started? 

Duang! 

A loud crash rang out from the roof. The Demon Gang member who’d been pinned against the wall had ditched his bike and jumped onto the Thorton. He crawled to the front windshield, swinging a mantis blade at the glass. 

Riku leaned out of the passenger window. The Demon Gang member lunged at him, his mantis blade slashing toward Riku’s neck. 

Clang! 

A blue, swirling Kiroshi shield wrapped around Riku’s arm, blocking the mantis blade. With one hand, Riku grabbed the guy by the throat, yanking him off the windshield and dragging him along the ground. 

Shunk! 

With a swift motion, the Kiroshi blade sliced through, severing the Demon Gang member’s head. The body rolled across the ground as the Thorton sped up, its engine roaring as it peeled out. 

A few more Kusanagi bikes gave chase, but they couldn’t keep up with the Thorton once Jack floored it. An old-school driver like Jack Welles knew exactly how to shake off these biker punks—he was a motorcycle nut himself, after all. 

“No need to keep chasing. Davos Collins isn’t in there.” 

Of the two Demon Gang members who’d first pursued, one was dead, the other lightly injured. The injured one had taken a bullet to the forehead, but it wasn’t fatal. Falling off his Kusanagi wasn’t a big deal either. Surrounded by his crew, he shared what he’d seen. 

The moment the guy in the passenger seat rolled down the window, he’d been looking for Davos Collins. But, as expected, finding that guy was no easy task. 

“Damn it! These nosy punks aren’t new to this!” 

One of the Demon Gang members cursed. They’d had plenty of people sniffing around before, which was why they reacted so fast. Plenty of eyes—both gangs and corpos—were watching them. 

“Nobody’s stupid. We set up this Demon Gang first, so no one else could. Getting targeted is just part of the deal.” 

The Demon Gang members were speaking in Japanese. Truth was, they used to be corpo dogs themselves, just assigned to a special mission. 

As a trap, a lure, the Demon Gang had been on every company’s radar from the moment it appeared. At first, it was just a fan club started by a few enthusiasts. 

But the corpo dogs knew better. If used right, this Demon Gang had a solid shot at drawing out Davos Collins. 

So they took it over, turning it into a bait operation. With a company backing them and others turning a blind eye, they’d managed to establish a foothold here. 

One company supported them, while the others quietly watched, waiting for any sign of movement.