Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System-Chapter 500: Billionaire.

Finn's feedback was more than a little helpful, and Volcan was ready to go back to the drawing board. Because of that, the decision Dante came to shocked them both—he decided that they would publish the game anyway.

After consulting with Viktor, they got a company set up in Tōseiren, and the marketing has already begun, with Dante forking up the initial costs. Why bother so much with a game that had been called trash by the first person to try it out? Because of one very simple reason: it's all an investment.

The big battle was approaching, but there was no telling when it would happen. Dante couldn't just sit around and wait, so he had to go about his life as if a bunch of Genomes were pulling at their leash, waiting for the second they're set free. This will continue until he is ready to deal the first strike, a time which keeps getting farther and farther away each time he discusses his plans with his fixer.

Making money was one of the things he had to keep doing, since the well seems to dry out as soon as it's filled. He was preparing to get Volcan into stock trading and other kinds of gambling, but to make his endeavors seem more legitimate, he needed to establish himself as a businessman one way or another.

Dante wasn't too happy about it, seeing as he was quickly morphing into exactly what he hates the most—one of the rich elites who use the rigged system for their benefit. Nevertheless, his goals had shifted. Killing the number one hero was only a single stop now, so a lot has to be done besides gaining enough power to achieve that objective.

Speaking of making money, the long-awaited day has finally arrived.

~[ ]~

March 16, 2099.

A luxurious car stopped near the entrance to the Red Oni club, formerly known as Red Fist bar. No one came out of it, and it just remained there, drawing attention to it until someone came out of the establishment.

With his hands in the pockets of his jacket, Dante walked over and climbed into the back, the door having opened automatically upon his approach. The car moved soon after.

Dante watched the scenery change from the window to his right, then faced the person sitting across from him. As usual, she exuded an aura of strength and authority, enough to make him want to snap her neck right then and there. The way she glared at him didn't help her case.

"A bit late, don't you think?" He said. "I was expecting to hear from you three days ago."

Caroline's face twitched, anger flaring in her eyes.

"Hey, you are the one who's playing dirty," Dante scuffed. "After that stunt, be glad the deal is still on the table."

"You're testing our patience, kid," she said. "Should I remind you that we have enough dirt to lock you up for the rest of your life?"

"Yeah, yeah, spare me the empty threats."

DING!

A notification sound pierced the tense air. Feeling the corners of his mouth rise, Dante reached into his pocket and took out a small rectangular device. It was clearly a smartphone, but everything from the design to the materials used showed that it wasn't one of the cheap models sold at convenience stores. That was a true luxury item, but it had only one purpose.

[87 500 000 000 Zlatnik have been deposited into your account.]

And just like that, Dante was now a billionaire.

Zlatnik was Orvakia's gold-backed currency, which makes it more valuable than Radmir Credits and much safer to use than Gold. It was the perfect alternative to the cryptocurrency, and Dante now had enough of it to fund the kind of lifestyle few in this world could afford.

The smartphone in his hands was a product of Kovat, the respected bank where Viktor opened the account where all that money had been deposited. Its only function was to act as a wallet through which he could access his funds, and since it made use of a private satellite network, there was no fear of being hacked and having all the money syphoned away.

[50 million, 7 power suits,] Volcan said. [A total of 350 million Gold. Converted into Zlatnik at a standard exchange rate would make 87 billion, 500 million. Indeed, that is the full amount.]

Still smiling, Dante put away the smartphone and looked at the BEO commander.

"The funds have been deposited, so I guess it is time for me to honor my side of the deal."

Reaching into his left pocket, he took out a second smartphone, this one clearly a disposable version. He held it out, and Caroline took it. She stared at it for a couple of seconds before her frown deepened.

"What's this?"

"A GPS tracker," Dante replied. "Take it to the location where you want the suits to be delivered. An empty warehouse should do. Just make sure it's big and empty. Once it's ready, call the number registered in the contacts, leave the phone on the floor at the center of the warehouse, and get out."

"... that's it?" Caroline asked.

"Yup," Dante replied. "Don't ask how this works. I have no idea myself."

"So you aren't even going to explain how you plan on delivering?" She asked. "And you expect us to trust you?"

"Unlike you people, we actually keep our word," Dante fixed her with a glare.

"Forgive me for not believing a bunch of murderers."

"Right back at you."

The silent tension returned, lasting until a tired sigh interrupted it.

"We should move on to discussing the other matter," Said Caroline. "Did you get the word across?"

"Yeah, about that," Dante looked away. "This matter might be a little different from the last."

As if sensing the bad news, anger flared in the commander's eyes.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means Genomes can't be priced the same way as everything else," Dante shrugged. "Even dead ones have quite a bit of value."