Chapter 146

Future chapters at patreon.com/FFAddict.

Additionally, I have many new works readers may be interested in. Go look, if you wish! 

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Arif Iqbal, and you are watching WNS news."

"We interrupt with some local news."

"A new riot, ignited by the Moxes gang, is unfolding in the Kabukicho district of Watson."

As the anchor reports, chaotic photos and videos from the intersection appear on the background screen.

The Moxes girls can be clearly seen clashing violently with the brutish men of the Tyger Claws.

"It is reported that the incident started with the abduction and murder of a high-ranking member of the Tyger Claws, Masao Norimoto, at the hands of the Moxes."

"The Tyger Claws went to the Lizzie's Bar to seek an explanation and were ambushed and intercepted by the Moxes en route."

"At the moment, the melee is still ongoing..."

At this time, the focus on the Kabukicho intersection is not solely on Arasaka Corporation.

Drones from different corporate media have arrived at the scene promptly to record first-hand material.

"Good evening, and welcome to News 54. I'm Gillian Jordan. Here's the latest major news bulletin."

"A conflict involving thousands of people is occurring in the Kabukicho area of Watson, with the Tyger Claws and the Moxes fighting each other in the streets, each wielding melee weapons, and the conflict continues to escalate."

"Our accurate understanding from various sources is that this conflict was sparked by the death of a high-ranking Tyger Claw, Masao Norimoto."

"The Tyger Claws are propagating that the Moxes disregarded business etiquette, persecuted Masao Norimoto to death, and are demanding the Moxes hand over and severely punish the murderer."

"However, according to the information collected by our channel, the Moxes' statement admits the abduction and death of Masao Norimoto, but they sharply criticize and refute the claim that they did not follow business rules."

"The Moxes firmly believe that Masao Norimoto's death was his own fault, not because the Moxes disregarded business etiquette, but because his actions were extremely brutal, persecuting innocent street workers and oppressing members of the Moxes. Hence, the Moxes announced retaliation against the Tyger Claws' atrocities."

"The Moxes also released footage of Masao Norimoto producing illegal braindances, vividly showcasing his cruel methods. Compared to the Tyger Claws' empty talk, the concrete evidence provided by the Moxes is more convincing."

"It can also be seen from the front lines that more and more girls are joining the Moxes' fighting ranks."

"Tonight, under the pretext of demanding an explanation, the Tyger Claws sent hundreds of elite enforcers disguised as a funeral procession to Lizzie's Bar, and their true intentions require further investigation..."

Arasaka and Militech, two mainstream news outlets, have started their own moves regarding this riot.

The street conflict, already under the spotlight, instantly sparked a heated debate in Night City.

Both online sub-net forums and offline bar counters were busily discussing the matter.

At the Afterlife bar.

Rogue, sitting at the bar with a cocktail in hand, watching the news on the wall-mounted TV, muttered, "It's been a long time since Night City was this lively."

She was still wearing her fluorescent yellow punk long-sleeved hoodie, with her long hair swept to one side, exuding the aura of a queen at the bar.

Claire placed a cocktail on the table and, hearing her boss's sigh, couldn't help but laugh and say, "You're telling me."

"With the samurai band nostalgia concert, the burning of the biotech company building, and now the Moxes girls' rebellion against the Tyger Claws."

"Such spirited stories have indeed been rare in Night City for a while."

Rogue, with a deep gaze, murmured, "There are shadows behind all these events. Lizzie's Bar is going to change hands after tonight. Remember to send a gift over; I rather like the Moxes as they are now."

Claire assured her that she'd remember, then brought up a recent matter, "A well-dressed young man came by last time, claimed to be an old acquaintance of yours. I don't know where he got his information, but he spoke about Silverhand as if he knew it all."

Rogue nodded slightly, recalling the words Tang Yu had conveyed to her about the drive-in movie date.

It was a romance she had kept buried deep in her heart, belonging only to Johnny, and now a complete stranger had brought it up.

It had stirred waves in her typically composed heart.

Moreover, Rogue found out that Tang Yu had used Arasaka resources to help Kerry with his record company issues, contributing significantly to the band's nostalgia concert.

Why a young executive like Tang Yu would be familiar with Johnny's old buddy piqued her curiosity.

Rogue downed her 'Johnny Silverhand' cocktail, still savoring its sour-spicy taste, then headed towards the private booth.

Meanwhile, at the chaotic intersection of Kabukicho.

Two crowds merged in the chilly rainy night, ultimately converging at the center of the intersection and colliding.

Shadowy figures intertwined against the backdrop of flashing blades as a life-or-death battle in the rain officially commenced.

Dozens in the front ranks of the Tyger Claws, howling and wielding katanas, charged forward, attempting to break into the Moxes' ranks.

Dozens of throwing axes came spinning through the air, chopping into their foreheads and flipping the men to the ground.

Then, wave after wave of axes rained down on the Tyger Claws, striking numerous targets and causing brutal carnage.

Undeterred by the axes flying overhead, the Tyger Claws fought in close combat with the Moxes.

The two sides infiltrated each other's territory, initiating a bloodbath. 

However, the Mox gang, with their overwhelming numbers and the continuous arrival of reinforcements, quickly laid to waste the dozens from the Tyger Claws who had just penetrated their lines – with an axe to the left and a sledgehammer to the right, they fell to the ground, their lives claimed in an instant. 

Caught deep within the Mox crowd, the Tyger Claws fighters, unable to defend from every direction, activated their combat cyberware and howled as they swung their blades wildly. 

But they were soon overwhelmed by axes, hacked to pieces. 

In this first clash, the Moxes held their ground and launched an even fiercer offensive against the Tyger Claws. 

Hundreds began slashing around on the streets; heads, arms, and prosthetic limbs flew in every direction, making it impossible to distinguish between cybernetic and natural body parts. 

All the Mox women fought with a red mist before their eyes, recklessly disregarding their own safety. 

One after another took the place of a fallen sister; where one was cut in half at the waist by the Tyger Claws, another would instantly fill in and deliver a fatal axe blow in return. 

The Moxes' fearless techniques rendered the Tyger Claws' elite fighters powerless, able only to trade their lives for kills. 

A bald, brutish Tyger Claw thug, with his arm cyberware charged, pounded his fists out, bursting open the skulls of two adversaries. 

He managed to kill many Mox gang members with his desperate fists, but found that the more he killed, the more appeared, becoming fiercer with each moment. 

The numbers of his own gang members dwindled; those who had entered the Mox crowd with him were now all dead. 

"What the hell is going on?" cursed the bald brute in anger. 

The Tyger Claws had over five thousand formal members, but not all were fighters, and not many could handle a katana without smart weapons. 

Previously, assuming the Moxes had only about two hundred people, they formed a strike squad of modest size and equipped them with melee weapons, to avoid excessive talk. 

Now, it seemed that a significant number of people from all around were coming to the Moxes' support, and the situation was turning dire. 

Without a care for his image, the bald brute knew he must severely punish the Mox gang, to demonstrate the might of the Tyger Claws.

He immediately activated all his combat cyberware, pulled a katana from the body of a fallen girl, and started a mad killing spree into the crowd. 

Many girls who came to support were slain in an instant, none surviving more than a single round against his blade. 

The bald brute was equipped with high-end, precision combat cyberware developed by Arasaka Corporation, complete with a full operating system, making his power difficult to underestimate. 

By contrast, the street-working girls had low-end, crude cyberware, and could only rely on their strength to fight the Tyger Claws, being bisected on the spot if struck by a blade. 

The bald brute, like slicing through vegetables, now went on a rampage, slaughtering everything in his path within the Mox ranks. 

A young Mox girl turned and saw her sisters being slain by the bald man, fury welling up within her. 

She swung her bat and sent a Tyger Claws fighter flying, then charged toward the bald brute. 

Cold rain slid down her skin-like façade, her arms' combat cyberware powering up to maximum as she lifted a baseball bat and leapt towards him. 

"[Expletive]!"

The bald brute sensed someone coming from behind; as he stabbed and killed two, he tried to draw his blade for a counterstrike but found it stuck. 

To his surprise, the katana was held firm by the two girls he'd pierced, refusing to budge. 

Furious, he pushed to the side, cutting both the girls and the sword free, ready to strike at the young girl behind him. 

But as he turned, the sturdy bat smashed down from the air, striking the top of his skull. 

Frozen in place like a statue, he could only widen his eyes in disbelief. 

His skull had been reinforced to be bulletproof. 

Yet the force of the girl's blow shattered his brain and electronics instantaneously, causing catastrophic cranial trauma. 

A crack appeared atop the bald brute's head, followed by blood flowing from every orifice, and he fell straight to the ground. 

Rage-filled Moxes encircled and hacked at him furiously. 

In the blink of an eye, the bald brute was chopped into a bloody mash, washed away by the rain into a nearby sewer. 

The young Mox girl, raising her bat, roared and turned back to engage the rest of the Tyger Claws. 

At this point, the filthy remnants behind the Mox lines had been cleared, allowing everyone to move unhindered against the Tyger Claws. 

Sasha had already charged into enemy territory on her own, wreaking havoc. 

She had confirmed the safety of Gloria and Judy behind her, two girls who were too weak in combat to play much of a role in this battle. 

Especially Gloria, whose cyberware upgrade was minimal, could neither sprint nor keep up with others, quickly falling behind from the frontline. 

With cybernetic diamond-like claws, Sasha harvested the lives of Tyger Claws fighters with fury. 

In fact, she initially fought more to accomplish a mission given by Tang Yu, without a particular hatred toward Tyger Claws. 

But learning about the Tyger Claws' deeds ignited an inexplicable anger within her. 

There were plenty of bad people in Night City; however, she couldn't dispel all the evil. 

But here and now, these thugs must be dealt with, one by one. 

Sasha, with high-quality combat cyberware and formidable hacking skills, cut a swathe through the Tyger Claws' lines, disrupting their formation utterly. 

With the charge team nearly annihilated and the frontal clash lost, the Tyger Claws' defeat was inevitable.