Gimme That Server

Give me a server. No, gimme one. In a bar in the City residential district, the hacker Ellie was knocking back drinks again today. She'd just barely pulled off a job for those City government bastards she couldn't stand the sight of.

"Kuh... fucking assholes...."

The City government that turned a blind eye to the megacorps' rampages, and the megacorps licking the asses of that City government. Despite her top-tier hacking skills... Ellie was still just a lowly City citizen at the end of the day, barely scraping by with her life after getting caught in the crossfire of their petty squabbles.

"Fuck, what's the point of booze or pills like this."

The mercenary Alek, who'd bled alongside her through that "minor" clash between giant organizations, stayed silent through Ellie's bitching.

Huh? Usually he'd be smacking me upside the head and telling me to chug already.

Ellie glanced sideways at the empty feeling on the back of her head, only to see Alek gripping the bar's comms network in his massive hand, staring blankly ahead.

"What the hell, you zoned out into the Outernet without a word?"

The bar owner was glaring daggers at the sparking, severed wires. Alek had apparently ripped them out like a brute again to dive in. "Mercenaries, man."

Muttering thoughts she'd never dare voice while Alek was awake, Ellie activated her own cybercore. Hackers connected with elegance and grace, unlike those brute mercenaries.

Of course, from the bar owner's perspective, both assholes were equally annoying. Graceful or not, they sucked up bandwidth and caused trouble.

Anyway, once Ellie hit the Outernet's surface, she spotted one server twinkling unusually bright with starlight—user avatars. It was a tiny puddle compared to the vast oceans around it.

What the? High-rankers duking it out?

Guys who never gathered unless it involved their own business—what was this? Ellie pondered.

Well, curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. Dopamine-starved as she was, Ellie double-checked her comms security and dove right in. And jolted in shock.

Holy fuck. The access point's in the wasteland. How the hell's someone on the City's edge diving into the Outernet? They didn't hack a tower, did they?

And that wasn't even the half of it. The cluster of starlight had zero security measures.

Then it clicked for Ellie.

Tch. Another clueless newbie crawled into the Outernet.

The City government blocked access to the Outernet. Even top-tier hackers or influencers couldn't touch it easily.

But even if you busted through the security to swim its depths... wolves like Alek, eager to trample fresh sprouts, lurked everywhere.

Probably already looted clean, but... worth a peek?

Ellie joined the star cluster in the puddle. Her consciousness locked onto the dizzyingly distant server.

And the moment she entered...

"But isn't a 'mercenary' using just one core a 'loser of the era'?"

Some kid was scratching exactly where it itched.

"Take it back... right now...!"

A big-handed guy growled. His massive cybernetic arm gleamed with thick starlight. Obvious brute mercenary.

I smirked and gave the man what he wanted.

"Can-cel."

"GRRAAAAH, you little shit!"

Nice scrasher performance.

The status window blocked the guy as he lunged.

"Urgh...! Hey, kid! You spew that bullshit and think you're dodging a duel?"

"Hmm. I don't really wanna scrap with a dumb merc brute...."

I dragged out the end, sneaking a peek at the chat window below. It was scrolling way faster now, split into three camps.

The fervent cheers from hacker stars...

...the vicious curses from the menhera-infested merc stars.

...and finally, the spectators enjoying my aggro show without picking sides.

Oh, and the god-tier UI provider everyone calls MaMang...

Was sparkling at my feet, hyped for the dopamine party. Makes sense—they granted my request for this exact reason.

"Sure! But on one condition."

"Krahahaha! Name it. Anything but begging for your life."

I flashed two fingers at the hulking merc who'd dropped down here all pissed from my merc-bashing.

"You saw my personal server, right? If I win, double it. Hand over a server twice the size of mine."

They'll bite. Hundred percent.

In games, My Room started at least 1,300 sq ft. I'm the weirdo who forced into the Outernet early-story; others must have bigger...! Please... please...!

Unaware of my internal freakout, the giant merc grinned wide and nodded.

Chat split again. Hackers pitying me,

...mercs already partying. And...

"But. I got a condition too, kid."

"What?"

"If I win, ditch that lame skin and show your true face."

...the degenerates thrilled at human ruin.

Hmm... familiar stench.

Savoring that deep misanthropic shit-stink, the dopamine addict status window sis—who was weirdly strict—interrupted.

"Hey hey hey hey. Mister. That ain't enough? If I lose, I'll even dance when you come decapitate me."

"Oh...?"

I cut in quick, twisting the condition.

Fuck. Close call, sis.

Why say that? My identity's busted.

Though from chat, seems no data left to steal... my server's like a leaked Chinese phone number—location, IP, all doxxed.

If my tiny girl build got exposed too, City life'd get way rougher.

"Kuhuhu... looks like you're ready for big bro's love."

I nodded despite the dizzying mix of AlekGay's shit-eating grin and chat, mind reeling...

Wait for me, Dorothy.... I'll... fuck. Rack up tons of servers and come back.

Haa.

Why's the average SAP this bad, seriously.

Perfect plan.

Stash Dorothy and my real body safe in the tower from gang pursuit, loot max servers before she forgets.

Against a real Outernet diver, no combat core means I'd lose impossible.

Of course...

"Urk...! Skittering rat, just run all you do!"

...if I weren't a Netdiver.

"Slow."

"Uggggh...!"

AlekGay's fist whiffed again. Spoonful of taunt for psych war and bluff...!

"You fuuuuuckiiiing—"

Focused senses, stretched opponent time long.

Netdivers and playable chars' overwhelming compute power.

Turned same-server foes into trash mobs with godlike hacks on full display.

AlekGay's core seemed reaction-speed based. Even max-slowed time, he chased somehow.

No time for chat—dodged face-punch, slapped palm to AlekGay's ear.

Faint starlight now palpable.

AlekGay's hippocampus memory-storage core. Shredded dummy code in a flash, my breath hit the dim light.

Hoo.

"Guhk...!"

AlekGay collapsed in virtual space, out cold with a day's memories gone.

"Hoo.... One win."

My quiet mutter triggered foot-stars, popping a fat status window.

Mistaking my elegant, classic combat for merc... thanks a ton. That's what I aimed for. Glaring to hide grin, scanned chat. Some sniffing truth...

Phew. You saw through it! My acting!

Timing taunts while fighting nausea and vertigo to adjust time—paid off.

Meanwhile, merc-hacker chat vibes flipped.

Hmm. Lukewarm temp. This SAP world's got weak guild cup culture. Makes sense—age of barbarism and romance, repay nonsense with bullets.

"Huuu... but aren't hackers ultimately normies who lag in core handling vs mercs? For real dunno hehe."

Another starlight above solidified, dropping before me—a hunched woman.

Introduced as Ellie, she dangled her cores like jewels.

"Whoa, thought hackers were all cowards who'd bail...?"

Despite my bait, Ellie just shrugged. Ignoring star-messages, she muttered boredly.

"That big lug you wrecked is my partner."

"Aha. Revenge for a buddy? Mercs got loyalty... but hackers seem nicer?"

Claims partner revenge, but grinding teeth all scratched up.

To me? Angel senior donating precious compute power.

Dorothy, for you... I'll troll hard.