Cyberpunk 2077 transmigrated as my moded character

"And finished. You're going to be OK now, Gloria. You won't die from overworking." 

I'm still in the hideout, wrapping up care for Gloria Martinez, making sure she's mentally stable—or as close as she can be, anyway. 

"What time is it?" I glance at the time; it's already morning. I let out a sigh, feeling the weight of fatigue settling in. "Man, I'm mentally exhausted. I'll grab some breakfast and go tell David the good news." 

I head upstairs to the kitchen, where the scent of cooking eggs and bacon soon fills the air. I fix myself something quick: bacon, eggs, toast, and a much-needed cup of coffee. I sit at the table, letting the first bite restore some life back into me. 

"Woof! [Where's my breakfast?]" 

I glance down to see Lola, tail wagging expectantly. 

"Hello, Lola. Don't worry; I'll make you breakfast once I finish mine. I was up all night, you know?" 

"Woof! [OK. But I want more bacon, please.]" 

I chuckle and pat her head, then finish my meal before cooking extra for both Lola and David. Once the food is ready, I place it on the table, noticing David's absence. 

"Lola, can you find the kid? I bet he hasn't had a decent meal since... the incident." 

Lola barks, "Woof! [He left!]" 

I pause, a small frown forming as I look at the untouched breakfast. "Do you know where he went?" 

"Woof! [Arisaka Academy. Said he needed to go.]" 

A pang of frustration stirs in my chest, but I get it. He feels compelled to return, even if it's futile. The moment Arisaka hears about Gloria's coma, David's out—no more tuition, no more elite academy. But I also understand; walking away isn't easy. 

"Why didn't you stop him?" I ask, already knowing the answer. 

"Woof! [You didn't tell me to!]" 

"Fair enough." I set a plate on the floor for her. "Look, Lola, I'm heading out. Watch over Gloria. You can have David's food too, since I might be gone for a while." 

"Woof! [Happy!]" 

David's POV 

City Center 

"What am I doing? Why am I even going to the Academy?" I mutter, staring at a holographic ad, lost in thought. 

Suddenly, a shadow flickers in the corner of my eye. Turning, I spot Katsuo Tanaka's smug grin, flanked by his two goons. This can't be good. 

In a secluded part of the city center 

Katsuo steps forward, looking me up and down like he's sizing up trash. "A little advice, Martinez. Learn to take a hint." 

"About what?" I ask, keeping my voice steady. 

"Our class. You're not welcome—got it?" 

I raise an eyebrow. "This about yesterday?" 

"Who said anything about yesterday?" he sneers. "You probably think I'd give you a hard time because you're poor. Not true. I'm quite charitable by nature. What bothers me is something else entirely…" 

I blink, feeling my blood start to boil. "Look, choom, I haven't understood a single word coming out of your mouth." 

"Typical. That right there is why you should drop out. You're a misfit, an anomaly. A street kid who thinks he can rise above his station. Trash, born and bred. Why don't you just do everyone a favor and leave?" 

A cold, bitter fury builds inside me, but I clamp down on it. "Didn't you just say yesterday you didn't care as long as I paid tuition?" 

He smirks. "Ah, yes. About that. I heard your dear mother came begging the principal to forgive your 'little stunt.' Caused quite the scene, didn't she? Pathetic. How does she even afford to send you here, huh?" 

My fists clench, and just as I'm about to swing, a voice cuts through the tension. 

"You know, people like you deserve to get punched in the face." 

I glance over, heart pounding. There he is—the guy who saved me, 8. His stance is calm, unreadable, but I can see Katsuo's goons are already on the ground, unconscious. 

Katsuo sneers. "And who the hell are you?" 

8 ignores him, pushing him aside with a flick of his wrist and stepping toward me. "Kid, you really shouldn't be here. You're still recovering. Just look at yourself—your uniform's a mess." 

"How dare you touch me, filth! Do you know who I am?" Katsuo growls. 

"A spoiled brat who doesn't know how to wipe his own ass. Just looking at you makes me sick." 

Katsuo's face turns red with rage. "Looks like I need to teach you your place, trash." He raises his hands, his Chrome sparking with a red glow. "I could kill you in seconds." 

I move forward, ready to jump in, but 8 stops me with a calm look. "Let me handle this." 

Katsuo scoffs, throwing punches rapidly, aiming close to 8's face. Then he lands a series of blows, each more aggressive than the last, finishing with a kick to 8's stomach. 

"What…how are you still standing?" Katsuo stammers, panting. 

8 finally responds, slamming a punch straight into Katsuo's gut. Katsuo drops to his knees, gasping and coughing. 

"You…bastard!" Katsuo spits, struggling to stand. 

8's fist connects with Katsuo's jaw, sending him reeling. He doesn't stop there, though. A series of precise, brutal punches keep Katsuo suspended midair until 8 finishes with a swift kick, sending him crashing into a vending machine, upside down and thoroughly defeated. 

I stare, stunned, as 8's hand lands on my shoulder. "Let's get out of here." 

I nod, trailing after him. My thoughts are a chaotic mess. "Choom, how did you do that? You don't even have Chrome." 

He gives a small shrug. "Is that really what's on your mind? Shouldn't you be with your mother instead of dragging yourself to the Academy?" 

I clench my fists. "I know, but if I don't go, I'll get expelled." 

"No offense, kid, but without your mom working, you won't have the money to keep going. The Academy won't let you stay once they hear she's…indisposed." 

I stop, reality crashing over me. I'll end up on the street. What the hell am I supposed to do? 

8 must see the look on my face because he says, "You can stay at our base for now. Get a job when you're ready." 

For a long moment, I'm silent. Then, finally, I find my voice. "Thank you…for everything. If it weren't for you, I don't know where I'd be right now." 

"Don't mention it. Come on, let's go get some breakfast. I bet you haven't eaten yet." 

My stomach growls right on cue, and I laugh nervously, grateful for the change of subject. 

8's POV 

Thank god I got there before that arrogant blue-haired bastard could push David over the edge. Katsuo's not worth the trouble—or the inevitable fallout. But at least David has some time now. As I watch David hurry to catch up, I hope he'll make better choices this time. This isn't the anime—he's got a chance to change his future. 

End of Chapter 

"Hi, everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Just a heads-up—the holidays are coming, so it might be harder for me to create new chapters while balancing work. Thank you so much for reading!"