The night stretched long as the group chatted and drank into the early morning hours.
Finally, after exchanging contact information with David, V stood up, ready to leave.
"David, it was really great meeting you tonight."
Her cheeks were faintly flushed from the drinks, giving her a warm, slightly playful charm that was different from her usual composed demeanor. She smiled at the others as well. "And Miss Rogue, Miss Claire—thank you for the hospitality. Tonight's been the most relaxing time I've had in a long while."
Rogue and Claire both nodded slightly, responding with kind smiles.
Though V held a high-ranking position in Arasaka's Counterintelligence Division, her daily life was anything but glamorous—endless tasks, constant surveillance, and the pressure of corporate politics weighed heavily on her. Nights like these, where she could simply relax with friends, were rare luxuries.
After thanking everyone, V turned to Rebecca, who was casually sipping her drink. A sly smile crept onto V's lips as she leaned closer and whispered, "Hey, little girl... are you interested in David?"
Rebecca nearly choked on her drink. Her face instantly turned beet red, as if steam would start pouring out of her ears at any moment.
"W-What?! Don't talk nonsense!"
V chuckled softly, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with laughter. "Oh, come on. Your face says it all! Don't worry, I won't tease you too much." She gave Rebecca's cheek a gentle pinch. "Next time we meet, I'll bring you a pair of 'Arasaka HJKE-11 Yukimura'—they'd suit you perfectly."
Rebecca's blush deepened, and she quickly glanced away. "I—I didn't ask for it or anything…" she mumbled, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Of course not. It's just a gift from your big sister here." V grinned.
"Hey, V! That's not fair!" Jack's voice cut through the moment, full of mock jealousy. "Why are you giving her all the cool toys? What about me, huh?"
V rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Didn't I already give you the 'Arasaka JKE-X2 Kenshin'? That wasn't enough for you?"
"Well, you know me…" Jack scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "I've got my eye on that 'Golden Lady' pistol you've been hoarding. You know, the one made of solid gold that can shock enemies and set them on fire? I've been dreaming about that beauty…"
V sighed, shaking her head with a smirk. "You really know how to ask for the good stuff, huh? Fine, fine. Next time we meet up, I'll see what I can do, you greedy bastard."
"Hell yeah! You all heard that, right?" Jack clapped his hands, practically bouncing with excitement. "David, you've gotta back me up on this—she promised fair and square!"
David chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll be your witness."
With the laughter still lingering in the air, V waved goodbye to everyone before heading out into the night.
After the group chatted for a little longer, they each went their separate ways.
Before leaving, Rebecca paused at the door. David, still curious, asked, "Hey, what did V say to you just now?"
Rebecca's eyes widened, and her cheeks flared up again. "N-Nothing! It's none of your business!" she stammered before bolting out the door.
David stood there, scratching his head. What the hell did V say to her?
When David returned to his apartment, he noticed a small note stuck to the door:
"Hey, the bounty from my Dark Web gig came through, so I wanted to treat you to a nice meal. I stopped by to see you tonight, but you weren't home, and your phone was off. Oh well—let's catch up tomorrow! Goodnight ^_^!!"
He smiled as soon as he read the note. There was no need to check the signature—he already knew it was from Lucy.
"Hah… this girl, always so thoughtful."
Pulling out his phone, David realized it had died at some point, which explained why he hadn't seen her call. After plugging it in to charge, he stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower.
Despite the city's cold and harsh nature, Lucy's presence brought an undeniable warmth to his life.
"Eh, it's late now—she's probably already asleep. I'll call her tomorrow."
After getting ready for bed, David summoned the system interface out of habit.
This time, something unusual caught his eye: the frog cub hadn't returned yet. Normally, it would've been back by now.
Must be because of the upgraded stats… maybe it's traveling farther than before?
Even so, a notification icon flashed on the system toolbar. Curious, David clicked it.
[The frog cub has sent a photo back from another world. Please check it now!]
"Photo?" David blinked in surprise. "Alright, let's see what this little guy's up to…"
With a mental command, he opened the photo album in the system interface.
A new picture appeared before his eyes:
In the image, a woman sat at a wooden desk, her kimono slightly open at the chest, revealing a figure that could only be described as… impressive. Her sun-brown hair was styled neatly, with two locks framing her face, and a diamond-shaped violet mark adorned her forehead. Behind her, a large banner with the words "Hokage" hung proudly, along with the swirling leaf symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village.
And right there—nestled comfortably on the woman's chest—was none other than the frog cub, its tiny eyes squinting into a blissful smile.
David's eyes went wide as he bolted upright in bed.
"Wait a minute—isn't that… Tsunade?!"
His voice echoed in the empty room as he stared at the screen in disbelief. "The Fifth Hokage from Naruto?! How the hell did the frog cub end up in that world—and why is it chilling on her—"
He stopped mid-sentence, feeling a mix of confusion, amusement, and… maybe a tiny bit of envy?
"Damn… this little guy's really living the dream."
The frog cub looked so pleased with itself that David couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. "So not only is it exploring different worlds now, but it's also out here stealing legendary waifus? This dude's got game!"
As he examined the photo more closely, David's mind began to wander.
If the frog cub can travel to worlds like Naruto's, what else is possible? Could it bring back souvenirs from different universes? Techniques, artifacts, maybe even... chakra abilities?
The thought sent a surge of excitement through him.
"I swear, if that little guy doesn't bring back something good this time, I'm revoking its adventure privileges…" he muttered half-jokingly.
But deep down, he knew that the frog cub's journeys could open up limitless possibilities—perhaps even giving him the power to reshape his destiny in Night City.
As he lay back down, the grin still lingered on his face.
"Alright, little frog… let's see what treasure you bring back this time."
With that thought, David closed his eyes, already looking forward to what tomorrow might bring.
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