Saburo and Yorinobu — this father and son had been at odds for far longer than a day or two. They weren't even three sentences into the meeting before the air turned stiff, sharp, and hostile.
Adam Smasher and Takemura stood off to the sides, waiting in silence.
Saburo clasped his hands behind his back, expression flat, "I truly can't believe you are my son."
Being called out like that in front of witnesses, Yorinobu couldn't keep face. He snapped back at once, "Night City isn't something you need to worry about — and my affairs aren't yours to manage!"
Saburo glanced at Takemura and Adam Smasher, "Next, I will speak with my son about matters between father and son. You may leave."
When a major figure spoke, Adam Smasher turned and walked out without hesitation. Takemura withdrew as well, respectful and precise.
Soon, only the Arasaka father and son remained — along with Vash and Jackie, hidden in the maintenance shaft, snacking on the drama. If nothing went off-script, the iconic scene — Yorinobu killing his father — was about to play out in real time.
"Yorinobu. As my son, no matter how unruly you are, I will still give you chances." Saburo said, "But what have you done since coming to Night City? You disrupted my plans — and you even dismissed the company's people?"
"Shut up!" Yorinobu clearly had no intention of talking like an adult, "Your way is outdated! The world moves faster and faster. In Night City, countless corps have their eyes on Arasaka! If we don't change, Arasaka will lose sooner or later!"
Saburo didn't flinch, "All of this is because of your mediocrity and incompetence. The 'change' you speak of is simply you consolidating power to oppose the family."
His tone sharpened.
"You want to build your own faction — I do not oppose it. But you harmed Arasaka's interests. You should not have handed everything over to those barbaric Westerners. Yorinobu, what I cannot forgive… is betrayal!"
Inside the maintenance shaft, Jackie stared, eyes wide, "Damn… this is huge, choom — Arasaka's crown prince getting scolded like a dog. Saburo's ruthless. He's that old, but his presence is still terrifying."
Vash replied quietly, "He built Arasaka with his own hands."
Out in the suite, the anger Yorinobu had been bottling finally detonated under Saburo's pressure…!
Yorinobu's face flushed, "Enough! No matter what I do, you'll never approve of me! I don't need your approval!"
Mid-tantrum, he swept his arm and smashed everything on the table into shards and splinters. The ugly side of Arasaka's heir was on full display.
Vash found the perfect angle, pulled out an old-fashioned camera he'd prepared in advance, and hit record.
In the living room, Yorinobu kept tearing the place apart — he even smashed decorative pieces.
Saburo watched without moving and finally sighed, "If your mother could see this, she would be deeply disappointed…"
"Mother" was Yorinobu's pain — and his reverse scale.
He snapped. He surged forward and grabbed Saburo by the throat. The Emperor was an old man; with one violent shove, his son pinned him against the wall — right beside the maintenance shaft.
Yorinobu's eyes went bloodshot. Veins bulged along his forehead as he poured all his strength into it.
A moment later, Saburo's body slumped to the floor…
Witnessing the patricide, Jackie nearly cried out on instinct, but Vash clamped a hand over his mouth.
In the living room, after killing Saburo, Yorinobu dropped to his knees. In the span of a breath, emotions flickered across his face — fear, relief, calculation, anxiety…
Yorinobu wasn't what you'd call capable. He was simply lucky enough to be born an Arasaka. After all, something as critical as the Relic had been sniffed out by someone like Evelyn Parker.
But calling him useless was hard, too — because he had just strangled his own father.
In seconds, he smoothed his expression like a mask. When he stood again, urgency filled his face.
"Mr. Takemura — hurry, come in! Something happened here!" Yorinobu shouted into the communicator.
The next instant, the door burst open. Takemura strode in and saw Saburo's body on the floor.
"Lord Saburo!" Takemura rushed over.
Yorinobu pressed a hand to his forehead as if he were on the verge of collapse, "Mr. Takemura… my father was poisoned."
"Poisoned… this…"
Before Takemura could say anything else, Yorinobu cut him off, "Mr. Takemura, what is your mission?"
"To protect Lord Saburo's safety!" Takemura answered.
"My father has been poisoned. The murderer is still inside Konpeki Plaza. As his guard, are you not going to pursue the killer?" Yorinobu pressed.
Takemura's loyalty was iron — but iron could be bent. Against the spoiled heir's petty cunning, he didn't stand a chance.
Yorinobu switched the call straight to Konpeki Plaza's main security desk, "This is Yorinobu Arasaka. My father has been poisoned. As acting head of Arasaka, I order Konpeki Plaza sealed immediately. Find the murderer who killed my father!"
The second he finished speaking, Konpeki Plaza's alarms began to wail.
Yorinobu froze, "What is it?"
"A rat has been found in the elevator shaft. I'll deal with it." Adam Smasher said, then turned and left the room.
Yorinobu and Takemura followed after him.
Once the door shut again, Jackie finally panicked.
"Holy shit! Yorinobu Arasaka just killed his own father! When he says 'murderer'… he don't mean us, right?!"
Vash replied, "Unfortunately… we are the murderer."
Jackie's face twisted, "Rich people family drama — and we're the ones taking the blame? Chingada…"
Vash's voice stayed calm, "Jackie, the moment Saburo died, as long as we're still here, the truth doesn't matter anymore."
"V… I'm not feeling too confident right now. What do we do next, choom?" Jackie asked, seeing Vash still unshaken.
"Of course we make the 'Saburo's killer' charge stick." Vash said, gripping the thermal katana. He stepped up to Saburo's corpse and slashed once.
Jackie shivered — half horror, half adrenaline, "Alright… let's do it."
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Meanwhile, down in Konpeki Plaza's elevator shaft, Adam Smasher jumped straight from the highest point.
He crashed through multiple levels before stopping on a certain floor. His metal hand shot out and slammed into the wall — pinning the Flathead, still running active camouflage, firmly in his grip.
Crunch!
Adam Smasher squeezed, crushing the Flathead into scrap. Then he lifted his head.
"Little rat… so you're in the room."
❖❖❖❖❖
T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
If you want 20 chapters ahead, smut chapters or spicy images of this novel for just $5, or enjoy a large catalog of good novels with excellent translations (free or starting at $1.5): MrBlackWing (you know where to search)
Take a look at the new book I'm translating on my profile, Umamusume Pretty Derb: I'm Just a Trainer! Its also on my website for $5 too!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)