Lucy looked around with curiosity. The room was fully outfitted with medical equipment of all kinds, and at its center stood an extremely high-tech reclining chair—it was clearly meant for surgery.
"If you're ready, lie down," Roland said, gesturing toward it.
Lucy nodded and lay down without hesitation.
"When you wake up, you'll realize that everything has changed," Roland said as he slowly walked to her side.
"Is this the reason you've always wanted to recruit me into PROJECT Corporation?" Lucy asked, voicing the question that had been on her mind.
"Well… that's part of it, but not all of it," Roland replied after a moment. "Another reason is simply that I like you as a person."
Lucy froze, then blinked.
"Do you mean what I think you mean?"
"Partly. There are other meanings too, but you don't need to dwell on it."
Roland nodded and waved his hand, signaling Lissandra to begin administering the anesthesia.
"I don't dislike you. You're different from the corporate types I've dealt with before."
"Let's talk about that after you wake up," Roland said with a smile, shaking his head.
Lucy said nothing more, quietly waiting for the medication to take effect. Soon, her eyelids grew heavy, and before long, she lost consciousness.
Roland stepped closer, inserted the chip into Lucy's slot, and silently waited for the modification process to finish.
"Should I pull Miss Lucy's consciousness directly into the virtual space?" Lissandra asked.
"Hm… yes, pull her in directly. Oh—and bring me in as well."
Roland thought for a moment before answering, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.
He hadn't had many chances to interact closely with Lucy or V before. This was a perfect opportunity.
"Understood. I'll grant you access now."
Lissandra nodded, and a chair slowly slid into place behind Roland.
Seeing this, Roland didn't hesitate. He lay down, inserted the chip, and entered the virtual world together with V, Lucy, and the others.
...
V crouched in the alley, checking the items on her person. She could now confirm one thing for certain: she had entered an unknown Braindance world.
And this Braindance was far beyond anything she had imagined—there was almost no difference between it and reality.
Next, she confirmed that the body she was using was indeed her own, but it possessed cyberware she had never had before, likely assigned as part of her identity in this world.
Finally, there was her identification: a card listing her as a member of PROJECT Corporation's Counter-Espionage Intelligence Unit.
"Hm… I wonder whether each of us is in an independent world, or if everyone's connected to the same one…"
V rested her chin on her hand, thinking it over. If everyone was connected to the same world, then the way to pass might very well be eliminating the other competitors.
"If that's the case… my current identity gives me a built-in advantage. Is this considered using a backdoor?"
Sasha's identity flashed through her mind, but V quickly shook her head and dismissed the thought.
Setting that aside, if this wasn't a backdoor, then anyone starting with such an advantage would have to accomplish far more to attract the attention of those above.
If she simply played it safe and survived to the end, it would be easy enough with her current status—but that would probably mean her future in the corporation was effectively over.
With that in mind, V packed away her belongings and headed out. Since her identity was that of a PROJECT Corporation employee, the first thing she needed to do was find the corporation's headquarters.
"This place is huge… finding it won't be easy," she muttered.
Ignoring the greedy and fearful stares around her, V walked out of what looked like a slum. She was already used to those kinds of looks.
Then, the moment she left the cramped district and saw the buildings ahead, she froze.
Towering steel skyscrapers rose into the sky. Roadways made of what looked like glass stretched through the air. And at the center of it all stood the tallest structure of them all—the PROJECT Corporation building.
Its enormous logo was impossible to miss.
"Uh… looks like that problem's already solved."
V shrugged helplessly, then scanned her surroundings, looking for a way to get over there.
Every one of her movements was being observed by someone hidden in the shadows.
"So… the corporation really does want us to compete with each other."
A fit young man wearing a hood watched V's actions from concealment. With competitors appearing in the same area, the corporation's intentions were obvious.
It was unclear where the others had appeared, but they couldn't be too far away. The corporation wouldn't want someone who only knew how to run and barely survive.
"That girl looks like she already has a plan… I'll follow her and see what she does."
Having made up his mind, the man brushed his hand over the pistol at his waist. He was a minor gang leader.
...
Lucy slowly opened her eyes, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above her, momentarily confused. She clearly remembered being inside PROJECT Corporation's secret base—so how had she ended up here?
She began looking around. The decor was luxurious and steeped in sci-fi aesthetics. It looked like an office.
Lucy walked to the desk and picked up the documents on it, skimming through them.
Then she noticed her arm—and froze.
Silver-white exoskeletal armor covered it, with retractable energy blades housed in her forearm.
Only then did Lucy realize that her modification had already been completed.
Her attention immediately shifted to her body. First, her height had increased—she looked as though she had grown into adulthood overnight.
Then…
Lucy brushed aside the long white hair that fell across her chest and slowly walked toward the mirror.
When she saw the figure reflected there, she was completely stunned. She had never imagined she would look like this.
As if responding to her thoughts, Ambition's internal system slowly retracted the combat mask covering her face. Staring at the reflection—at a face that looked like her own, fully grown—Lucy's gaze became unfocused.
"Looks like the modification was a success."
A voice suddenly sounded behind her.
In an instant, driven by pure muscle memory, Lucy moved. The blade at her waist snapped out and landed in her hand.
A streak of crimson-violet light shot toward the source of the voice. Lucy's body followed, becoming a blur of the same color as she caught the blade and slashed downward.
Boom! Whoosh!
A sharp airburst rang out as violent gusts spread in all directions. Lucy's white hair whipped wildly in the wind.
Realizing her attack had been blocked, she was about to strike again when a familiar voice came from below.
"Hey, hey, hey. What's this? You just finished your upgrade and you're already planning to take out the boss and go solo?"
"Uh… Mr. Roland?"
...
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