Chapter 13 : Freshman Training – 1

“Let’s start with the basics.”

“Okay.”

It was a bit surprising.
I thought Karen would throw me into hellish training disguised as practice, but instead, I was getting a theory lesson.

“We always move as a team.
Sure, sometimes we get solo gigs, but the default is always teamplay.”

I guessed what she was getting at, but I listened quietly to her explanation.

“For efficient teamplay, it’s best to divide roles, right?
Now that you’re part of our team, you’ll need to find a role that suits you.
I’ll briefly introduce each role, so pay attention.”

Karen’s explanation matched the original novel perfectly.

“First up, the Ace.”

Ace.

Simply put, the combat specialist on the team.
Not every mercenary job involves fighting, but most do, so an Ace is practically essential.

It’s the easiest role to enter—just be good at fighting—but it’s also the most exposed to danger and heavily impacts mission success.
Pick it carelessly, and you’re likely to screw up big.

“Who’s the Ace on our team, you think?”

“Karen, right?”

“Spot-on.”

If a mercenary crew has a Stoner or cyborg, they’re usually the Ace.
No one’s better suited for combat.

“Second, the Doctor.”

Doctor.

Exactly what it sounds like—a medic.
They treat injuries from missions and manage the team’s overall condition, making them an indispensable role.

In a cyberpunk world where all sorts of modding surgeries are common, a medic who accurately assesses and cares for a patient’s condition is a must.

“By the way, our Doctor is Mary.
She’s so talented it’s a waste to have her in this dump.
Though she’s a bit weird…”

As predictable from her white coat, Mary was Red Dog’s Doctor.
Karen sighed at Mary’s odd tastes but readily acknowledged her skill.

“And third, the Engineer.”

Engineer.

As the name suggests, tech specialists.
Their core job is developing and maintaining cyberware.

Like Stones, cyberware is a way to get strong fast without severe side effects, so a team’s level can skyrocket based on how good their Engineer is.

Since cyberware integrates with the body, the role overlaps with Doctor somewhat.
Some crews even have one person handle both roles.

“Franklin’s crazy enough to swap out his liver just to drink more.
Insane guy, but you can’t deny his skill to pull that off.”

That’s the story behind him?
No normal liver could handle his drinking.

“Fourth, the Hacker.”

Hacker.

Do I even need to explain?
They specialize in systems and programs.
In a cyberpunk world where everything’s automated, a Hacker’s importance goes without saying.

Hypothetically, an all-powerful Hacker could make the other roles obsolete.
No need to fight dangerously, worry about injuries, or deal with clunky machines.

Of course, that’s just talk—realistically, it’s impossible.
No single person can breach the systems built by hundreds of genius hackers for corporations.

“So, Red Dog’s Hacker… Spade, right?”

“Correct.
Only one guy left, so it’s obvious.”

A mysterious man absent from the original novel.
It’s not that strange Spade isn’t in it.

I don’t know exactly how many years this is before the novel’s timeline, but judging by Ruby’s age, it’s at least five years.

Five years is a long time.
In the mercenary world, where life’s always on the line, it’s an eternity where death is never surprising.

If anything, the other team members sticking around unchanged till then would be the odder case.

“Lastly, there’s the Leader, but I don’t need to explain that, right?”

“Nope.
It’s fixed as Lycan anyway.”

“If you covet the Leader spot and stage a coup… well, that’d be fun.
I’d watch with popcorn from the sidelines.”

“Sorry, I’ll pass.”

Oust Lycan from his spot?
Joking aside, the other mercenaries in the bar would smash my skull.

His symbolic status in the mercenary world can’t be overstated.
The structured role system mentioned above?
It started with Red Dog and spread to other crews.

Now, it’s evolved with new roles emerging, but the classic core roles are the five Karen described.

“Now, the highlight.
Time to pick your role.”

Karen grinned and asked me.

“Just checking—any specialized medical knowledge?”

“Nope.”

“Engineering skills?”

“None.”

“Hacking?”

“Obviously not.”

My role was set from the start.
The only reason I joined Red Dog was my Stone use.

“Alright.
You’re an Ace, confirmed.
No complaints, right?”

“None.
So, I’m learning under you now, Karen?”

“Yup.
Be grateful I’m a Stoner too.
If I weren’t, I wouldn’t bother like this.”

She’s not wrong.
Compared to her description in the original novel or our first meeting, Karen’s clearly fond of me now.

If only she didn’t have that cigarette in her mouth.
In this cramped room, the acrid smoke stung my eyes.

“What?
Want one?”

“…No, I’m good.”

“Tch, aren’t you high-and-mighty.
Basics are done, so let’s move to the next lesson.
Follow me.”

I trailed Karen as she stood and left the room.

“Where are we going?”

“Ever heard of Stoners?”

Stoners.

A mysterious group barely mentioned in the original novel.
All that’s known is it’s a club of Stone users.

“Are we going to the Stoners’ hideout…?”

“Don’t get your hopes up.
It’s not what you’re imagining.
Just a pity party for doomed folks whining about their lives.”

I nodded, but my excitement didn’t fade.

What’s it like?
My mind painted a roundtable of stoic sages.
It won’t be ordinary, right?
Maybe I’ll find some epiphany to grow stronger?

Lost in wuxia-style clichés, I snapped back when I spotted Ruby’s back at the counter.

About to call out cheerily, I noticed she was talking to someone.
A boy who looked out of place in the bar.
Roughly Ruby’s age, by his appearance.
I paused and asked Karen.

“Who’s that kid?”

“No clue.
Someone brought their son, I guess.”

Then Mary, approaching, smiled softly and answered.

“That’s Sion.
He took a liking to Ruby and came over to chat.”

“Oh…”

I nodded, watching the kids’ backs for a moment.
Come to think of it, Ruby never had friends her age to hang with.
Since I possessed this body, she’s been cooped up indoors with just me, so I was secretly worried.

Moving to the bar finally gave her a friend her age.
Feeling an odd warmth, I hoped they’d get along well.

“Hope the kids hit it off.”

Hearing me, Mary’s smile faded slightly as she hesitantly spoke.

“Um… actually…”

“Huh?”

“Hurry up!
I’ll go without you!”

Karen, already far ahead, urged me, making Mary shake her head and brush it off.

“No, it’s not a big deal.
I’ll tell you later when you’re back.”

“Uh… okay.
Talk later then!”

Worried about getting nagged, I hurried after Karen out of the bar.

I stared blankly at the sign of the place in front of me.

“…A VR arcade?
This is it?”

“It’s right.
Get in.”

No, it really doesn’t seem like it.
Why’s a secret Stoner hideout a VR arcade?
It’s basically a PC bang in modern terms.

Before I could voice my doubts, I was pushed inside, and a sharp, herbal smell hit my nose.

“Ugh…”

Wincing and covering my nose, I suddenly came face-to-face with two people approaching as if leaving.

Crisp blue uniforms, out of place in this slum.
Realizing what they meant, my body froze solid.

A blonde female cop with a name tag reading ‘Reina’ stared straight at me.