"I'm afraid I can't accept that. Being controlled by someone else and handing over my fate is not a choice I can make. Even if I'm willing to cooperate with you, that doesn't mean I'm willing to be under your control."
Yorinobu Arasaka shook his head and rejected Roland's offer.
"Think it through, Yorinobu. You should know what your father intends to do."
Roland's smile faded as he looked at him and spoke calmly.
"He may have treated you as a son at times, but in the end, he will see you as nothing more than a vessel to extend his life. Once he succeeds, once Soulkiller is perfected, once Arasaka reestablishes its power in Night City and rises again on the global stage… what do you think he'll do?"
Yorinobu's expression wavered slightly, but he still did not accept Roland's argument.
"That man came out of a brutal war, and he has never abandoned the so-called ideal in his heart. He has always wanted to build his own empire. When that day comes, the world will be thrown into chaos. Do you really think things won't get worse?"
"The truth is, if Saburo gains control of the world, it will get worse. There may not even be any hope left. You know your father better than I do, so you should understand that I'm not wrong. With your current strength alone, you cannot break free from his control, because you lack force."
"Force?"
Yorinobu paused.
"Yes, force. The relationships between major corporations are actually very simple. When both sides are equal, it's an exchange of interests, with schemes and maneuvering on both sides, but in the end, it still comes down to force. And when they're not equal, the outcome is obvious. There are plenty of examples."
"But what does that have to do with me?"
Yorinobu frowned slightly. In terms of force, the power under his command was not weak.
"Sometimes, individual strength can change everything. If your personal strength surpassed Adam Smasher, how much influence do you think you would have over the current situation? Look at Night City as it is now. At the very least, I'm not like your father."
As he spoke, Roland handed him a chip.
Yorinobu froze for a moment, then hesitated.
He had already considered the impact of personal strength. If he could surpass Adam Smasher and his father's guards, some situations could be resolved directly through force without all the careful planning.
As for Roland's words, he had seen the current Night City for himself. It was far better than before.
So… should he take the risk?
"I accept your offer. What do I need to do?"
Yorinobu took the chip and looked up.
A smile returned to Roland's face. Another powerful piece had just been added to his side, and one planted right inside Arasaka.
"Just insert it into your chip slot. It won't take long. Once it's complete, I'll show you how to use your abilities and how to conceal them."
Yorinobu nodded and, without hesitation, inserted the chip.
Buzz.
Countless pale red data streams surged out and rapidly wrapped around his body. In moments, the Counterflow template was fully installed.
Clink.
Two energy chains dropped to the ground. Yorinobu opened his eyes again, looking at his body with slight confusion.
"This feeling… it's quite strange."
He closed his eyes briefly, processing the flood of information in his mind.
"Alright, now I'll show you how to hide the traces of your Cyberware."
Roland stepped forward as he spoke. Counterflow had many unique abilities, and concealment was one of them.
"This Cyberware feels perfectly suited to me, like it was made for me. Can I know where it came from?"
Yorinobu asked while following Roland's guidance.
"You're not wrong. It was made for you. Its codename is Counterflow."
"Counterflow… that's a good name."
Yorinobu repeated it softly and smiled.
Under Roland's instruction, he quickly got a basic grasp of its abilities. A wave of energy swept across his entire body, and his appearance returned to how it was before the modification.
"That's incredible…"
"Here, take this as well."
Roland tossed another chip to him.
"What is it?"
"A virtual training chip. Use it to get familiar with your abilities and understand your current strength."
After explaining, Roland stood and walked toward the door.
"Let's go. It's about time we head out."
Yorinobu nodded. The two walked out together, appearing as if they had a pleasant conversation. Seeing that they had not talked for long, Saburo relaxed slightly.
Roland then left with Lucy. As they exited, Lucy glanced at Arasaka Tower, lost in thought. She had never imagined she would one day walk into it so openly.
Roland, on the other hand, could not hide his smile.
The trap for Saburo Arasaka had already been set. Now it was only a matter of time before he stepped into it.