[Night City – Border of Watson and Santo Domingo]
A golden blur roared across the cracked freeway.
The Type-66 Avenger, a tank wrapped in black and gold muscle, screamed under the weight of purpose.
M's knuckles were calm on the wheel. Eyes sharp. Jaw tight.
His system chimed softly.
DING.
System Alert – First Arch Mission Available.
[EDGERUNNERS ARCH MISSION: mission #1]
Objective: Save and change the fate of Gloria Martinez.
Details: Gloria is being held at Night City Center for Psychiatric Health.
Reward tier increases based on the scale of impact and how drastically fate is altered.
M's eyes widened. "Gloria… Martinez?" he muttered aloud.
The name of the hospital. The accident.
"That's the mother," he whispered. "David's mother. She dies here. That's what sets it all off."
A cold realization hit him.
The hospital—Night City Center for Psychiatric Health—he knew that name.
He remembered that episode.
That's where Gloria Martinez was taken after the crash.
That's where she died.
That's where David's story began... in blood and grief.
Not tonight.
M hit the accelerator.
Back at the Hospital – Scav Den
The clinic was a front. M had seen this kind before: clean on the outside, rotting on the inside.
Scavs in lab coats. Organs in coolers. Patients in body bags with breathing tubes still twitching.
In a back room, Gloria lay unconscious on a dirty gurney.
Bandaged head. Wires in her arms. No life-saving equipment—just extraction prep.
Three scavs circled her.
One licked his lips: "She got preem lungs. And that spinal socket... Chrome's high-grade."
Another: "Let's gut her clean. No squealing this time."
A third chuckled: "Maybe we play first. She ain't gonna know, and she is gorgeous. I can't wait to tas..."
Then—
SLAM.
The doors flew open.
M walked in, calm as a Sunday sun.
Gold-trimmed coat fluttering. Eyes glowing faint behind smartglasses.
Both revolvers were already in hand.
"Hi," he said dryly. "I've got a reservation under fuck you."
The scavs reached for weapons.
Hyperfocus activated.
The world slowed to a crawl.
Scavs shouted in molasses-slow voices.
Bullets left muzzles like bees drifting through honey.
M glided.
Two shots. Two skulls popped like wet fruit.
The third scav managed a scream—cut off when M's throwing knife lodged in his throat.
Reinforcements stormed down the blood-slick hallway.
M drew his katana.
The golden aura ignited—cutting through body armor like cloth.
One scav tried to run. M disappeared and reappeared in his path, sword already swinging.
One scav tried to run. M disappeared and reappeared in his path, sword already swinging.
M moved deeper into the facility, fast and silent. Dozens of scavs swarmed hallways. Some were mid-dissection, others eating, others harvesting cyberware from screaming victims.
Each one died.
Some got knives.
Some got bullets.
Some were simply broken—bones shattered under inhuman strength.
When the smoke cleared, the hospital was nothing but a bloodstained shell.
Then, he sheathed his blade and walked to Gloria's gurney.
She was unconscious but breathing. Barely.
"Hold on, señora," he muttered. "You're not dying today."
[15 Minutes Later – Vic's Clinic, Little China]
M kicked open the clinic door, carrying Gloria in his arms.
A red-eyed Victor Vector looked up from his workbench, screwdriver in hand.
"The hell, who are yo—"
He blinked. "...shit. what happened to her"
"Blunt trauma. Head's messed. Scavs had her. No implants stripped.".
Vic stood. Already switching modes.
"Alright. On the table. Let me see what I'm working with."
M laid her down.
Vic moved fast. Gloves. Tools. IV. Medgel. Neural scanner.
"Her vitals are ass. Head trauma... some bleeding. No spinal fracture. That's good. You're lucky, she's got a tough skull."
He paused. "Even luckier you showed up when you did."
M stayed silent, arms crossed.
"You her family?"
"No."
Vic looked up, curious. "Then where and how did you find her?"
"I was cleaning scavs like usual" M said. "Found her about to be dissected and raped by some scavs."
Vic grunted. " cleaning scavs ? Wait are you M ?"
M gave a small smirk. "How do you know about me?"
Vic snorted. " I have my sources, and it's not like what you are doing is a secret hunting scavs like there is no tomorrow. Great work by the way. So her treatment is on me this time"
M raised a brow.
"Don't get used to it," Vic added quickly. "You break more scavs like that though, drinks are on me."
[Several Hours Later – North Oak, M's Mansion]
The villa was quiet. Lit by low lights. Ava had prepared a guest room.
M carried Gloria in gently, laid her on the fresh white bed.
She was wrapped in a soft med-blanket, IV attached, neural pads humming.
He stood there for a long time, arms folded, eyes watching.
"Rest," he murmured. "You changed everything just by surviving."
His system chimed quietly.
Arch Mission: Objective Complete – Gloria Saved
Status: Fate drastically altered
+5 Attribute Points
+5 Skill Points
Arch Route Initiated: Edgerunners Timeline – Divergence Level 1
M glanced at the screen, and smiled.
Then, he turned off the lights and left.
[Next Morning – Santo Domingo Megabuilding]
David sat at the edge of the rooftop, arms resting on his knees.
The city blazed around him, full of noise and hollow comfort.
On the holo-screen nearby:
"Breaking: Fire Destroys Facility — Night City Center for Psychiatric Health Goes Up in Flames. Arson Suspected. Multiple Fatalities."
David's breath caught.
"...Mom?"
His heart pounded. His eyes burned.
He didn't know where she was.
Didn't know the building was a front.
Didn't know fate had changed.
He only knew what Night City always taught you:
Everything burns.
[Back in North Oak – Hours Later]
Gloria awoke.
Sunlight poured through silk curtains.
The bed felt wrong—too soft, too warm.
She groaned, head aching, vision blurry.
A vase of fresh flowers sat nearby. Jazz played softly in the next room.
She sat up slowly, hand clutching the sheets.
Footsteps.
M walked in wearing a relaxed shirt, sipping black coffee from a glass mug.
"You're up."
Her eyes squinted. "Where...?"
"My home. You're safe."
"...Who are you?"
"I go by M."
She blinked slowly. "I don't remember…"
"You were in an accident. Then kidnapped. I found you. Got you treated. You've been unconscious for a day."
"Why help me?"
M set his cup down.
"You remind me of someone," he said softly.
She stared at him a long moment… then nodded.
"Thank you."
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Author here , guys read the comment on this chapter it is important for the future direction of the story.