With that said, Axel patted the cameraman's face, leaving a clear bloody handprint behind.
Then he turned toward Rogue and walked over with a smile.
The moment the military police noticed Axel moving in their direction, panic spread through their ranks.
"Don't come any closer!"
"Stay back!"
"Please stop walking this way, damn it! We've been ordered to open fire!"
"That's right! You're too dangerous! Our superiors ordered us to shoot if you get close!"
"I thought it was a kill order. Turns out it's an order for us to die!"
"Buddy, please spare our lives!"
Nearly eight hundred military police stationed around Konpeki Plaza moved in unison.
While shouting warnings at Axel, they steadily retreated.
Their orders were simple. If he crossed a certain distance, they were supposed to engage.
Since Axel insisted on approaching, they decided the safer option was obvious.
If the enemy advances, retreat.
As long as they maintained enough distance, everyone could stay alive.
Within moments, a massive empty zone formed around Konpeki Plaza. A wide gap separated the military police from the media crews.
Compared to the officers, the reporters were far less afraid.
They had already realized that although Axel was the most destructive terrorist in Night City's history, he was not a cyberpsycho.
A cyberpsycho killed indiscriminately and without reason.
Axel killed with purpose.
That distinction made all the difference.
Instead of fleeing, the reporters became increasingly curious.
They desperately wanted to know why he hated Arasaka so much.
As more journalists gathered, Axel eventually arrived in front of Rogue.
Raising a hand, he grinned.
"A cigarette."
"Sure."
Rogue slipped a cigarette into his mouth and lit it for him.
Axel exhaled a stream of smoke.
Rogue took a breath before speaking as naturally as possible.
"I honestly expected you to smoke cigars.
Your current image practically demands one."
"A cigar?"
Axel scoffed.
"Forget it. That's just a prop for people showing off.
What's the point if you can't inhale the smoke?
Besides, Rogue, why don't you smoke cigars?"
He leisurely took another drag.
Watching him casually blow smoke rings into the air, Rogue swallowed before continuing.
"To be honest, I thought you were just an arrogant lunatic.
Sure, you looked skilled back at Afterlife, but there was no comparison between one man and an army that size.
You wanted to become a legend, right?
Well, congratulations. You already are.
Nobody has ever done what you did today.
Back when I attacked Arasaka Tower with some old friends, we were constantly on the move.
Atlas aircraft and Chimera war machines can't operate effectively inside confined spaces.
We rushed deeper into the building and only fought the corporate soldiers with expensive cyberware.
But you...
You're the first person I've ever seen stand in the lobby and simply destroy everything that showed up.
Do you realize how much damage you've caused?
Arasaka has probably lost more than five billion Dollars already.
And that's not even counting the damage to their reputation.
The real losses are much higher."
Rogue swallowed again and looked toward the corpse-filled entrance of Konpeki Plaza.
Noticing her gaze, Axel laughed.
"What are you looking at?
Still wondering when Adam Smasher will show up?
Relax.
Whether he comes or not doesn't matter.
I guarantee he'll stand in front of me eventually."
As he spoke, Axel waved toward the nearby reporters.
Several of the bravest immediately approached.
"Did you get everything I said on camera?"
"Yes, Boss, we..."
"Hold on."
Axel blinked.
"Who are you calling Boss?"
The reporters exchanged nervous glances.
"Well... Boss...
We didn't know what else to call you.
Calling you Axel directly felt disrespectful."
Hearing that, Axel rolled his eyes.
Then he reached out and rubbed the head of the female reporter he found the most pleasant to look at.
A smear of blood stained her hair.
Giving the group a gentle yet unsettling smile, he replied,
"What's disrespectful about using my name?
Just call me Axel.
Besides, I doubt any of you would dare disrespect me no matter what you call me."
The reporters laughed nervously.
Axel casually patted the female reporter's cheek before flicking ash from his cigarette.
Then he pointed toward a nearby building.
"Go get me a chair."
"Right away, Axel!"
The woman nodded repeatedly before sprinting across the plaza.
A short time later, she entered a nearby Militech building and emerged carrying a chair from its lobby.
Hundreds of Militech guards watched the scene with trembling expressions.
As she walked away with the chair, nervous whispers spread through the entrance.
"Will that chair satisfy him?"
"What if it doesn't?"
"What if taking the chair makes him interested in us?"
"Shut up!"
"Don't say things like that!"
"Keep your mouth closed!"
"Lower your weapons. Don't let him think we're hostile!"
"That guy's insane!"
"Keep your voice down. If you want to die, go shoot him yourself. Don't drag the rest of us into it."
"Damn it, he's a devil."
"Arasaka is completely finished."
Killing one person was a crime.
Killing thousands inspired a very different reaction.
When Axel had started slaughtering Arasaka forces, Militech employees watched with amusement.
As the body count climbed higher and higher, amusement turned into awe.
Then awe became fear.
Now they looked at Axel the way people looked at a force of nature.
A terrifying, unstoppable force.
If Militech reacted this way, Arasaka's leadership was in an even worse state.
At that moment, inside Arasaka Headquarters in Tokyo, Saburo Arasaka silently watched the live feed.
His sharp eyes remained fixed on Axel.
He watched as Axel settled into the chair, crossed his legs comfortably, and allowed several female reporters to wipe blood from his clothing.
After a long silence, Saburo shifted his gaze toward his two daughters.
Hanako Arasaka met her father's eyes and suppressed the unease rising within her.
"Father, there's no need to worry.
No matter how extraordinary his combat record appears, he is still only one individual.
Even if he truly is Biotechnica's newest creation, I suspect he's a unique case.
Someone with a rare biological adaptation that cannot be replicated.
Just as Adam Smasher possesses extraordinary compatibility with cybernetic enhancement."
Hanako forced a faint smile, hoping to reassure him.
Saburo studied her expression before slowly shaking his head.
"Hanako, that is not what concerns me.
Perhaps it is instinct.
Perhaps I am simply old.
But when I look at him, I am reminded of certain experiences from the past.
Axel...
Is that truly the Axel?
Rather than worrying that he is Biotechnica's latest achievement, I am more concerned that he may have ties to Kang Tao.
Biotechnica is still an American corporation.
Our greatest rival has always been the power across the ocean.
And in the last thirty years, no corporation has risen more dangerously than Kang Tao."