Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System-Chapter 541: First Mission.

Dante wasn’t the party type, yet he had to force himself into seeing the event to its end. All he did was pump some money, with Carlos handling most of the preparations. Because of that, the Red Oni Club’s official opening was a huge success.

The most stressful part was the speech he had to give. With him speaking through a bionic implant, there was no chance that his voice might break, but he still feared that words might betray him. He wasn’t much of a public speaker, after all. In the end, he was able to deliver everything without a problem.

Ever since he woke up in that hospital five years ago, Dante felt that he had been living in hell. Considering the goal he chose for himself, going deeper was the only option, and that’s what led to the creation of his gang.

Inferno was born that night. It was no longer a nameless gathering of thugs or the corpse of a dead gang. It was a new, independent organization, and Dante was its leader. Its symbol was a red oni mask encased in flames. Dante didn’t like it simply because it referred to his Red Demon moniker, but Carlos insisted that it was perfect.

Apparently, his lieutenant had commissioned the art for the symbol from a famous comic book artist who happened to pass by. The original piece was framed and hung on a wall in Dante’s office, and seeing how good it looked, he relented and agreed to use it as the gang’s logo.

Inferno’s first mission was going to start the next day, but for tonight, all they did was party. Dante had spent most of it socializing with the guests in the VIP area. Some were acquaintances who came to share their support, while others were guests Viktor invited.

Some were representatives of gangs from the districts bordering Hollowgrid, although not the biggest or most influential. After what happened to Blood Crown, they were looking to form alliances in order to take out their rivals.

Dante was thankful that his fixer was there to mediate the talks. Though it might not look like it, Viktor Sokolov was quite the prominent figure in Neo-Vatra’s underworld, and having his backing caused other gangs to mellow a bit. That wasn’t to say that no one had bad intentions.

Though the tension lasted through its entirety, the event was a success nonetheless. The club’s grand opening and Inferno’s birth. Both were significant milestones, but to Dante, their importance ranked second on his priority list.

After seeing his guests off, Dante retreated to his office on the second floor. He lay down on one of the couches, a pillow under his head. After staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, he closed his eyes and plunged into a deep sleep.

~[ ]~

The next time he opened his eyes, Dante stared at the ceiling for quite a while. He opened a calendar app with a thought, checking the time and date, his mood getting worse by the second.

Thirty-two days had passed since he got into that car accident. More than a month. He had been anticipating the last few nights ever since. They came and went, yet nothing happened. No dreams, no nightmares, and although he felt well rested, he couldn’t help but question if he slept at all.

"Hannah..."

As a dark storm began to form in his mind, a sudden knock on the door pulled him out. Heaving a long sigh, Dante pulled himself up.

"What is it?"

The door opened, and a blonde head peeked inside.

"Boss, you awake?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah... almost..." Dante stretched his body and got more annoyed when he didn’t feel the pleasant sensation that comes with the action. "The hell do you want?"

"Carlos sent me to check on you. Everyone is here, so..."

"Oh, right..."

Checking the clock again, Dante realized it was already noon.

"I will be there in a few minutes. Just tell them to wait."

Alone once more, Dante dragged himself to the gym’s shower booths. Thanks to Riot being a meathead, he didn’t have to return to his apartment just to shower. Once done with his preparations, he donned some fresh clothes and went down.

"Hey."

Waiting for him near the stairs was a purple-haired beauty. Her smile improved his mood, but the paper cup she handed him did way more. Taking a few gulps of the bitter brew it contained, he heaved a long, relaxed sigh.

"Thanks. I needed that."

"You really aren’t the party type, huh?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, never was."

The wide dance floor had been a mess the previous night, but it was already back to a pristine condition. With Rose at his side, Dante walked over to the western corner where a bunch of booths were set. There, a group of fifty was gathered. They were mostly young men, with a few ladies spread among them.

Riot stood out among them with how large he was. Carlos stood to the side, and Finn was sitting nearby with Oliver next to him.

"Everyone’s here?" Dante asked his Lieutenant.

"Yes," Carlos said. "Everyone is here."

Downing more coffee, Dante placed his cup down on a nearby table and turned to face the members of his gang.

"You probably heard by now that we are at war," He said. "This goes back to before we became Inferno, so I don’t fault you for not wanting to be a part of it. If any of you have second thoughts, this is your chance to leave. Though I can’t guarantee that you won’t be targeted if you do."

He gave them a couple of minutes. In that time, no one spoke or uttered a whisper. They all kept their gaze ahead, and though some looked doubtful, most were brimming with determination.

"Good," Dante nodded. "Then, let’s talk about our first mission." Letting the corners of his mouth rise, he held his head high and looked at his underlings. "We are going to crush Black Skull."