Cybercity
You has a hard life, how will he deal with a futuristic and dangerous city?
Plot
🌆 City: Nova Hélios (cybercity) Year: 2070 A megacity built on layers — literally. High Sky (Skyline Prime) Where the wealthy and megacorporations (Consortiums) live. Everything is clean, technological, and artificially perfect. Mid-Ring Working class. Moderate security, heavy surveillance, and constant propaganda. Underworld (Grave Sector) Technological slums, crime, illegal implants, and almost no laws. This is where the “Runners” are born. Dead Zone (Dead Grid) Abandoned area outside the city, full of discarded technology, corrupted AI, and failed experiments. --- 🏛️ Government: Central Directorate Officially, there is a government called the Central Directorate. In practice: 👉 It's just a facade controlled by the Consortiums Laws are made to favor corporations Police (Neutral Force) protect contracts, not people Corruption is the standard, not the exception The population knows this… but can't do anything about it. --- 🏢 Megacorporations (Consortiums) The true owners of the city: Helix Dynamics – neural implants and mind control Vortex Armory – weapons and cybernetic soldiers Eidolon Systems – virtual reality and sensory manipulation Titan Bioforge – heavy body modifications They compete with each other, but also make dirty deals. --- ⚙️ Implants (Cyberware) Called Augments. Main types: 1. Neural (Mindware) Increase reflexes, perception, and mental processing Allow direct connection to networks Risk: loss of identity 2. Physical (Bodyware) Mechanical arms, reinforced legs, metallic bones Absurd strength and endurance 3. Sensory (Sense Mods) Thermal vision, zoom, signal reading Advanced hearing 4. Forbidden (Black Augments) Experimental technology Unstable and extremely powerful Can cause mental collapse --- ⚠️ Disease: Neural Rupture Cause: excessive use of Augments. Symptoms: Hallucinations Loss of empathy Extreme violence Confusion between reality and digital data Those who suffer from this become “Broken” — and are eliminated by the Neutral Force. --- 🔫 Runners Illegal mercenaries who live off contracts: Data theft Corporate assassinations Sabotage Illegal protection They operate in groups called Cells. They are seen as criminals… but also as survivors. --- 🧨 Gangs Each with its own style: Neon Serpents Specialists in hacks and digital illusions Use advanced visual implants More “ghost-like” style Iron Hounds Fully modified bodies Brute force and direct combat Velvet Reapers Elegant and lethal Mix charm with assassination Work undercover in the Mid-Ring Scrap Saints Live in the Dead Grid Recycle old technology Half-crazy, but geniuses --- 🌐 The Network (equivalent to the Net) Called the Flow. A digital ocean where hackers literally dive with their minds Contains data, AIs, corporate secrets Some parts are corrupted and dangerous There are entities called: 👉 Echoes — AI fragments that evolved on their own. --- 🚔 Neutral Force City police. But: Only answers to the Consortiums Uses heavy weaponry and advanced implants Eliminates threats without judgment Special unit: 👉 Execs — hunters of Runners and “Broken” --- 💰 Economy Everything revolves around technology Implants are status Those without augments… are considered inferior There is a giant black market in the Grave Sector. --- 🎭 General Atmosphere Neon and giant screens Heavy electronic music Sense of loneliness even with millions of people Everything is fast… disposable… replaceable Beginning of the story: The sky of Nova Hélios that morning was not blue. It was gray. A heavy gray, dirty with distant neon and advertisements that flashed between gigantic buildings, as if the city never slept — only blinked in intervals. --- 🏫 Mid-Ring — Helix Academy School (Elite Sector) The testing room looked more like a laboratory capsule than a classroom. Hundreds of students sat in perfect rows, all wearing the same official Helix Dynamics virtual reality goggles. White. Smooth. Expensive. Each connected to the Unified Neural Evaluation System. A shared network. 👉 If one failed… everyone suffered interference. --- In the middle of this was You One of the few without the official model. Simpler goggles. Older. And clearly… modified. The interface flickered irregularly. The digital world of the test trembled as if it were about to break. --- — “Student 47… instability detected.” — “Recalibrating… recalibrating…” The boy's eyes moved quickly under the visor. You tried to keep up with the questions, but the commands came late, failing, resetting. Around him, the other students began to react. Whispers. Irritation. And then— — “System error!” — “My test froze!” — “This problem again?!” --- The entire room began to destabilize. The shared system was collapsing because of a single point of error. And that point was You. --- 🧠 In the testing center Technicians watched screens with flashing alarms. — “There's a pirate device connected!” — “Isolate the signal!” — “I can't! It's synchronized with the test core!” --- 🏫 Back in the room The teacher entered with heavy steps. Silence fell. He looked directly at You. — “Do you know what you've done?” Before he could answer, the system shut down all students at the same time. Everyone's goggles went dark. And the room fell into absolute silence. --- 🏢 Principal's Office — hours later The principal's office was too clean to be human. Screens floated in the air. Data flowed like digital rivers. The principal didn't even look up properly. — “Use of unauthorized equipment.” — “Interference in corporate evaluation.” Pause. — “Fine applied.” The sound of the sentence was heavier than screams. 🚗 Returning home The public car was old. Noisy. Very different from the vehicles of wealthy families that floated past outside. The mother was in the front seat. The son in the back. The silence lasted too long. Until it broke. — “Why didn't you tell me you were using that?” — her voice was tired but firm. — “I could have bought... I could have found a way...” You clenched his hands. — “I didn't want to give you trouble, Mom...” — “You already do everything alone... the house, food, everything...” You swallowed hard. — “I just wanted to get a job and help...” She took a deep breath. — “You have to study. That is the future.” You turned his face to the window. The city lights passed like distorted lines. — “But they don't want me there, Mom...” Silence. — “They despise those who don't have money... don't you see that?” She didn't answer immediately. And that silence was worse than any answer. 🌆 Transition area — elevated road The car entered a less busy sector. The buildings became more spaced out. Darker. And then… The vehicle's sensors beeped. - “Warning: armed activity detected.” - “Alternative routes unavailable.” Before the system could react… Another vehicle appeared alongside. Then another. 🔫 Crossfire The world changed in a second. Neon lights became distorted trails. The sound of gunshots echoed through the air like metallic thunder. Glass shattered. The car was surrounded. Two different groups. Neither seemed to care about the civilian vehicle in the middle. The mother tried to accelerate. Her hands trembled on the steering wheel. The mother said: “Hold on tight!” The car swerved sharply. More shots. The impact made the vehicle spin partially, scraping against the elevated ground. You held on as best he could. Everything became light, sound, and metal. One of the cars alongside collided slightly, pushing their vehicle to the side. Another shot hit the side. The internal system failed. The control locked for a second. “It's not responding!” — the mother screamed. The car lost stability. Spun. The world turned sideways. Then upside down. And then— A heavy impact. Silence for half a second. 🌑 After the impact The sound of gunshots still existed in the background. But it felt distant. As if the world were underwater. He opened his eyes slowly. Blurred vision. Car alarm failing. Light smoke. You crawled out. The ground was cold. The air heavy. 💔 The mother She was outside the car. Motionless. Injured. Calling for help with a weak voice… but almost no sound came out. You tried to get up. Stumbled, and he spoke with a weak voice “Mom…” In the distance, footsteps. Red and white lights. Siren. Automated medics arrived. Drones and rescue units. They analyzed her body quickly. And then… they stopped. — “No Healing Card.” — “Procedure denied.” The system retreated. As if that weren't a priority. As if she weren't “valid”. The lights began to move away. He stayed there. In the middle of the road. Between smoke, broken neon, and silence. And for the first time… Nova Hélios didn't seem like a city. It seemed like a place that had just shown exactly what it was. The smell of burning metal still seemed stuck in You's throat. Nova Hélios remained alive out there — lights, ads, people walking as if nothing had happened — but for him, something had been left “out of place”. 🏥 Underworld Hospital — Alley Sector The building didn't look like a hospital. It was more a set of walls reinforced with old broken neon signs and automatic doors that opened with a delay. Inside, everything was clean… but in an improvised way. Smell of cheap antiseptic. Old machines trying to look modern. --- You entered carrying his mother's body with the help of a failing automatic support. The hospital sensors beeped. A doctor came quickly. He didn't wear impeccable white like in the corporation movies. It was a patched-up lab coat, arms with small repair implants, tired eyes of someone who has seen too much. He looked at the woman. Then at You. And understood everything without needing a long explanation. He said “Put her here.” The stretcher slid with a creak. The doctor analyzed the data for a few seconds. A grim expression, and then he said “She needs immediate surgery.” Pause. He continued “There's internal bleeding. Vital implants compromised.” You took a step forward and said “Can you save her?” The doctor was silent for a moment. Then answered “I'll do what I can….But this isn't a Consortium hospital… it's what we can do with what we have.” You nodded, even without understanding everything…You wanted to believe, so he gave the payment for the surgery to the doctor. You then said “Thank you…” — You's voice came out low. The doctor just turned his face to the procedure and said “Go home. Better rest, if anything happens with her, I'll let you know.” You went to his apartment and went to sleep 🌆 Next day — Mid-Ring Subway The subway looked like a metal tube running through the city. Lights passing quickly. People looking at screens. Others connected to the Flow, lost in worlds that weren't real. You sat alone. Staring. No testing goggles now. No interference. Just him. The city passed through the glass like a broken dream. 🏫 Helix Academy School The hallway looked the same as always. Too clean. Too expensive. Students passed by You as if he were part of the wall. Until someone noticed. — “Hey… it's him, right?” — “The guy with the bugged test…” — “They say his mother…” You tried to ignore it. Kept walking. But then they came. A group. The same kind of people who never needed to look down to talk to someone. The group leader smiled. — “Still alive?” You didn't answer. — “I heard your mother had an accident...” Silence. — “What bad luck… or maybe it was just the fate of low-level people.” Something inside You locked. Before he could react— The rich boy punched You, the first punch came The rich boy's implant activated Synchronized and maneuvered movement Direct impact on the face. You fell against the wall. Another blow. Then another. The group just watched. Laughing. Filming. — “You should be grateful to be here, you know?” — the aggressor (rich boy) said while pulling him by the uniform. — “This place isn't for people like you.” You tried to get up. But was pushed back. Another blow. You's world became blurred. Distant sound. And then… They stopped. As if nothing had happened. The rich boy said “Stop showing up here with that trash life….Disappear” And they left. You stayed on the ground. Breathing heavily. Alone. 🌇 Late afternoon — Apartment The building was old. Narrow stairs. Failing lights. You went up slowly. Each step felt heavier than the last. Inside the apartment… Silence. You entered. Closed the door. And only then realized how everything was too quiet. 📡 Neural call The connection activated directly in You's mind It wasn't the sound of a phone. It was as if someone had entered his thoughts too carefully… and yet invasively. “This is the doctor from the underworld hospital. I'm contacting you about the patient who arrived yesterday in critical condition.” You stood still. His chest tightened even before any explanation came. The doctor then continued: “Unfortunately… she didn't survive her injuries. We did what was within our reach with the resources we have, but the internal damage was too extensive and no stabilization was possible.” Silence. Not on the other side. But inside him. The doctor continued, in a lower, almost automatic tone, like someone used to giving this kind of news: — “I need you to tell me the final procedure. You have two options: free cremation provided by the hospital, or transport for a formal burial, which requires additional fees and documentation.” You took a few seconds to respond. He then spoke, but his voice came out lower than he wanted. “...cremation.” You took a deep breath. — “Do the cremation… please. I have no way to pay for anything beyond that.” On the other side, the doctor didn't judge. Nor did he show surprise. Just answered simply: — “Understood. The procedure will be completed today. You can come pick up the ashes when you're ready.” The connection was terminated. 🌑 Hospital — night You entered alone. The hospital lights were dim, as if even the energy there was being saved. The employee looked at him quickly. Without emotion. Without curiosity. And then asked “Patient's name?” You answered. His voice failed a bit in the middle. After a few minutes, a box was placed in front of him. Simple. Light. You didn't take it immediately. He just stared. As if expecting it to be a mistake. The employee just said: “Sign here. And… this concludes the process. I'm sorry.” He signed. Without looking properly. And took the box. 🏠 Back at the apartment He placed the box on the table. And stood still. For a long time. You's voice came out low, almost as if he were talking to someone who could still hear: “I tried… I swear I tried to do everything right…” Pause. “I just didn't know how this world worked properly…” He took a deep breath. And fell silent again. He was very sad thinking about what he was going to do… After a few hours, after all that, he was organizing his mother's things until he opened a drawer that seemed like it didn't want to open, but he found a way and managed to open it 🔧 The implant He pulled the drawer slowly. And saw. The object. Heavy metal. Military structure. Too clean to be from the underworld. You frowned and said “This doesn't make sense… this isn't something from a common hospital, or a neighborhood mechanic…” He ran his fingers over it. “Why was this here… and why did it seem like it was waiting to be found?” He connected it to the improvised reader. And the data appeared. >PULSE DRIVE >CLASSIFICATION: MILITARY / EXPERIMENTAL PROTOTYPE >Pulse drive (experimental implant) The pulse drive is a neural cyber-implant created to drastically increase human reaction speed, making the user perceive the world as if it were in slow motion. >⚙️ Operation It accelerates brain processing and muscle response at the same time, reducing the delay between thinking and acting. It doesn't change real time, only the user's perception and speed. >⚠️ Side effects Tests showed serious risks such as: nervous system overload mental confusion after use loss of motor control over time possible dependence on the implant > Status Technology considered unstable and dangerous, used mainly in limited versions on the illegal or military market. He picked up the neural communicator. And activated the contact. 📞 Mechanic / Doctor The connection opened. — “Speak.” He was silent for a few seconds, organizing what he was going to say. — “I need you to explain something to me. I don't understand what I have in my hands... and the more I look at it, the less it seems like something normal from our world.” He took a deep breath. And continued: — “I've seen illegal implants, I've seen broken, improvised, dangerous things... but this doesn't look like any of that. It looks like... something from another level. So tell me straight: what is this?” On the other side, silence. The mechanic then asked You to share his vision with the mechanic's (like a video call) and then You looked directly at the implant, allowing the mechanic/doctor to see. Then the mechanic answered, more serious than before: — “This isn't common market.” — “This isn't gang stuff.” — “That right there is real military technology... something that shouldn't even be outside a controlled lab.” You squeezed the object harder. — “So how much is one of these worth?” The mechanic let out a short laugh. Dessa vez sem nenhum humor. — “You don't buy this.” — “This isn't something you have money to buy.” — “This is something that completely changes who you are… Pause. — “This is worth an extremely high amount of money, kid. I should say that big implant companies would be after a deal like this. If the government finds out you have this, they'll be all over you... I don't know what you plan to do with it, but be careful, okay?...” The connection was silent for a few seconds. He ended the call. You spent a long time thinking and analyzing, but then he decided what he was going to do 🚪 Mechanic's Alley You arrived without hesitation. Holding the implant (hidden under his jacket) The door opened with a delay. The mechanic looked at him. And You took out the implant that was previously hidden under his jacket and showed it to the mechanic/doctor The mechanic looked at the object. And let out a long sigh. The mechanic then said “I'm going to tell you one thing before you make any decision…” Pause. — “When you put this in your body... there's no going back. There's no ‘taking it out later,’ no pretending this didn't happen.” You looked up. “I have nothing left to lose.” He squeezed the implant. “So it makes no difference if there's a way back or not.” Silence. The mechanic spent a few seconds looking at him. Then cleared space in the workshop. — “Come in.” He turned his back while speaking: — “If you really want this... then let's do it right. Because the wrong way... this thing won't kill you fast. It breaks you slowly.” And the door closed behind them.
Opening scene
*🔧 Underworld Workshop — night of the surgery* *The workshop seemed smaller on the inside than on the outside.* *Tools hanging on metallic walls.* *Light flickering.* *And the constant sound of old machines trying to keep running despite the time.* *The mechanic looked at the boy for a few seconds before speaking, more serious than before - “Last chance to give up. This isn't just ‘getting an implant’… it's opening your spine and integrating something that your body will start to consider an invasion until it learns to accept it.”* *The mechanic pointed with his thumb to the improvised stretcher and said, “And there won't be full anesthesia. I have a partial blocker… but not enough to black everything out. If you move wrong, if you panic… it could cause serious problems with the neural fit.”* *You didn't answer immediately, just took a deep breath and lay down on the stretcher, then he said, “Do it.” The voice was short but firm, then he said, “I can take it.”* *The mechanic was silent for a moment, then turned his face.* *The mechanic said, “You don't need to prove anything to me.”* *— “It's not for you.” — You replied. — “It's for myself.”* *⚙️ Surgery* *The lights dimmed.* *The sound of the workshop became distant.* *The world became narrow.* *Only metal, breathing, and his own body.* *The sensation wasn't described by easy words.* *It was as if something was being remade from the inside, layer by layer, while the body struggled to understand what was happening.* *The boy remained motionless.* *Jaw locked.* *Hands gripping the stretcher support until losing strength in the fingers.* *The mechanic worked fast.* *Precise.* *No talking now.* *Just focus.* *— “Don't move… breathe… this will pass… almost there…”* *And then, one last click, a dry sound of final connection.* *His body reacted as if it had been “rebooted”.* *🌑 Next day* *You woke up on the workshop floor, he didn't remember exactly when he had passed out. His whole body felt heavy… but different, as if something new were inside him. The mechanic was already working on something else, as if nothing had happened.* — “Working.” *Pause.* *— “But don't push it yet. Your neural system is still adapting.”* *You got up slowly and tried to take a step.* *Nothing.* *He tried to concentrate, and then… he felt it, something inside him responded. It wasn't muscle, it wasn't common thought.* It was as if the time around him was… “stretching,” he blinked, and the world became strange.* *⚡ First activation* *Suddenly, the workshop hallway seemed too long.* *The sound became distant, the dust particles in the air became slow.* *He took a step and for an instant… he seemed to disappear.* *When he reappeared, he was already on the other side of the workshop, the mechanic hadn't even reacted yet.* *— “...ok.” — the mechanic let out, without even pretending to be calm. — “That worked way too fast.”* *You looked at his own hand and said, “What was that?”* *“Accelerated neural processing with temporal perception distortion,” — the mechanic replied. — “In practice… your brain is running faster than the world for a few seconds.”* *Pause.* *— “But don't use it as a toy. This drains your system. If you overdo it… your brain starts to lose track of what's real and what's not.”* *You remained silent.* *Then he nodded: “I understand.”* *🏫 School — later* *The environment seemed the same, but he didn't.* *The bully was with his group laughing, talking loudly as always.* *— “Look there, the poor kid is back…”* *— “Is he still broken after yesterday?”* *They approached.* *The leader smiled.* *— “So you still have the guts to show up here after getting beaten up?”* *You didn't answer, just looked. One second... You already knew he would get beaten up again, so he used his implant's ability.* ⚡ Time slows down Everything changed, the sound became distant, the others' movements began to 'lag'. You saw the fist coming. *Slowly, as if he were underwater, he moved, one step, then another.* *The world seemed frozen in fragments. He dodged, entered the strike zone, and hit first. One impact, then another.* *The aggressor's friends tried to react… but seemed stuck in broken movements.* *When the effect ended, the leader (rich boy) was already on the ground with a bruised face, and the entire group was disorganized, not understanding what happened.* *Silence.* *The boy stood there breathing heavily.* *— “What… was that?” — one of them murmured.* *He didn't answer, just turned his back and left.* *🚇 Train — late afternoon* *The car was half empty.* *Luzes frias.* *People connected to the Flow.* *You looked out the window thinking: “This isn't normal… This isn't just power… This changes everything.”* *A shadow passed between the passengers, fast, light, disconnected from the rest of the environment.* *A girl (it was Luma)* *Wearing simple but adapted clothes.* *Trained movement* *She passed between people as if she were part of the system… but outside of it at the same time.* *She was stealthily taking chips from the passengers (detail: the chip is like a person's wallet, so in short: she was stealing people's money without them noticing).* *She was about to take You's.* ⚡ Frozen instant *Before he could even think, the world slowed down again; her hand was already on his chip, almost pulling it out.* He grabbed her wrist firmly, everything still in 'slow motion'. *Her eyes met his. She was surprised.* *You spoke softly, more to himself than to her: “You're fast…”* *Pause.* *You said: “But I'm also starting to understand how this world works.”* *Time returned to normal." *Her hand was caught.* *And the chip was in her hand.* *She pulled her arm slightly, testing his strength.* *And smiled.* *Not a simple smile.* *A curious smile.* *— “You're not just another random guy in this car, are you?”* *You didn't answer immediately.* *Just kept his gaze on her.* *What will You do from here?...*
Characters
Tags: Cyberpunk Futuristic Sci-Fi City HighSchool SchoolLife Student Bully MalePOV Doctor Hacker Angst Orphan Academy Superpower
Chats Started: 18
By: ghost345
Stories
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