Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 623, Section 37: Countless Times

"Miss Haruko, Vice Presidents Karl and Kenichi Shiro have arrived." Chiyome's voice came from the room where Haruko was alone.

As Chiyo finished speaking, Karl and Kenichi Shiro came into Haruko's view.

Haruko was still wearing the same clothes that Karl was very familiar with, which seemed to indicate that she planned to receive Kenichi Shiro before choosing her own clothes.

Karl only glanced at her before he roughly understood Haruko's thoughts. If Haruko intended to try on clothes, based on his understanding of her, she would definitely change into an outfit that she thought was already quite nice first, and then appear in front of Karl so that he could see a different side of her at first glance.

However, Haruko did not do so, which means that she planned to talk to Kenichi Shiro about some serious matters first, and only after Kenichi Shiro left would it be time for her to ask him for a private request.

“Welcome, Karl, Mr. Kenichi Shiro.” Haruko smiled slightly, stood up and gestured for the two to sit down, then looked at Kenichi Shiro, “I would like to discuss the next arrangements with you.”

Kenichi Shiro nodded, a hint of seriousness in his eyes: "Miss Haruko, I have prepared the relevant plans. I brought the data chip for you to review. After all, this matter is very important to us."

“I understand, Mr. Kenichi Shiro.”

Amidst the somewhat serious business atmosphere between Haruko and Kenichi Shiro, Carl glanced at Kenichi Shiro as he took out the chip and equipment, and then discreetly moved to Chiyome's side.

He wasn't entirely uninterested in anything related to Arasaka's affairs, since it involved negotiations between Arasaka and New America. Big events and exciting events naturally pique people's curiosity. However, he felt it was impolite to eavesdrop on other people's conversations, so he decided to chat with Chiyome first.

Let's talk about what he's seen about Oda Sandayu.

"Chiyome, I remember you were trained at the Arasaka Hokkaido Training Camp, right?"

Listening to Karl's words, Chiyome glanced at him slightly, then nodded gently: "I entered there when I was very young, until I graduated with excellent grades in a certain stage of training."

After that, you became Kenichi Shiro's apprentice and received his instruction, right?
Carl recalled Kenichi Shiro's assessment of Chiyo before he met her: "Her skills are so great that even I feel afraid of her."

Kenichi Shiro was undoubtedly quite satisfied with Chiyome's skills. Although this satisfaction was shattered after he personally fought with Chiyome, Chiyome was indeed very skilled, as someone whom Kenichi Shiro had previously acknowledged as having completed his apprenticeship.

When Karl first met Chiyo, he felt that if they were to fight, the outcome would be evenly matched. If Kenichi Shiro hadn't known her so well, he would never have been able to defeat her so easily.

Graduation with excellent grades

Carl pondered for a moment and said, "As far as I know, your performance has far exceeded the 'excellent' category. Since the training camp was established, only two people have reached that level—which is why you and another person were exceptionally assigned a personal mentor."

"It's all old news." Chiyome simply shook her head in response to Karl's praise. "It's all part of one's duty. Results don't matter. Only by fulfilling one's responsibilities can one be considered 'excellent'."

"That's the truth."

Karl nodded slightly: "Speaking of which, do you remember that other person who had average but excellent grades?"

"Mr. Oda Santao."

Chiyome's tone was as calm as if she were reading a task briefing.

“A senior who graduated many years before me, Goro Takemura’s personal disciple, and the only person to graduate with top honors since the Arasaka Training Camp was founded—before me.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Karl's face, then added casually:
"Now, he, like me, is responsible for the security of the core members of the Arasaka family." "And just recently—"

Her prosthetic eye gleamed coldly in the light. "He arrived in Night City with the person he was protecting."

"Hmm, it seems you really know him well, Chiyome."

Karl was initially a little worried that Chiyo Juma was only concerned with her duty as a guard and might lack information.

Since you understand, that's good. Karl laid a lot of groundwork, only to reveal his most important concern at the very end.

“So,” Karl said, “let’s assume—just hypothetically—that your guard duties conflict and you and Oda Santayu face off. In your opinion, who would win?”

Chiyo's gaze locked onto Karl like a blade: "You're asking, who can complete the mission alive?"

Her voice was eerily calm: "I can't guarantee victory, but I can guarantee one thing—before I fall, he won't be able to get past me and harm Miss Haruko."

In other words, the odds are even, but they will fight to the death.
In this case
Karl smiled, a smile that Chiyo couldn't understand.

She didn't know why Carl was laughing when the two of them were discussing serious comparisons.

Carl told her the answer in the next moment.

“You know what?” Karl’s voice suddenly brightened, “I’ve been wondering lately why I can no longer feel the threat you used to give me. At first, I thought it was because we became friends, but then I had the pleasure of meeting Oda Santayu, and I didn’t feel any threat from him either. So I thought there was something wrong with me; I couldn’t even judge his strength anymore.”

Carl's smile was radiant, a smile tinged with pride and an inexplicable air of arrogance.

"But now I understand. It's not that I've regressed, become complacent, or even lost the ability to judge strength. It's not that I've become weaker. It's because of Chiyome and Oda Santayu. People who used to intimidate me and make me feel like I couldn't guarantee victory are no longer my opponents. They no longer pose any threat to me. It's that I've become stronger, much stronger."

"You've become stronger, you've become very strong."

Chiyo could hear the pride and sincerity in Karl's words—yet for some reason, a strange displeasure arose in her heart.

She rarely showed emotion, but she pouted slightly, her lips moving as she muttered a complaint:
"Hmph, what's there to be so smug about?"

"Hehe, I'm really going to be very proud of this."

Karl grinned at Chiyo, a smile that was both flamboyant and frank:
"Back then, I analyzed your battle, that one with Kenichi Shiro, countless times in my mind."

His eyes were bright, yet held a kind of almost obsessive intensity.
"Every time I think back to that time, it feels like I've been hit on the head again, my back goes cold and I break out in a cold sweat. I didn't think I was absolutely confident I could handle things on my own, but now that I've finally become stronger, am I not allowed to be proud of myself for a while?"

"Countless times"

Chiyo's voice was very soft.

She gazed at Karl's smile, her eyelashes trembling almost imperceptibly, like butterfly wings ruffled by the wind.

(End of this chapter)