Neon Dust [Progression Cyberpunk]

In 22nd-century New York, survival is a hustle, and secrets refuse to stay buried.

Tony, once a corporate operative, knows betrayal firsthand—abandoned by the elites who molded him, he’s been exiled to the Blast, a low-income, no-exit wasteland in the heart of New Brooklyn.

Now, he scrapes by in a world of gang-controlled streets and Dust-fueled powers, finding reluctant allies among the outcasts he once scorned. Amid the despair, Tony starts to uncover a surprising strength—and a chance to feel something more than just a simmering need for revenge.

Addie, a fiercely independent journo, is determined to expose the district’s corruption and the ruthless toll it takes on its people. But as she digs deeper, her quest for justice drags her into the city’s darkest shadows—and into the grip of Dust. What starts as a mission to expose the underworld soon spirals into a harrowing journey of self-discovery, where even truth itself becomes suspect.

Together, Tony and Addie are an unlikely team in a world where loyalty is rare and survival comes at a price. But if they can trust each other, they might just be able to challenge the forces that keep the Blast under heel—and maybe find redemption in the ruins.

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Welcome to my new cyberpunk story. If you found this because you enjoyed Cyber Dreams, first of all, thank you! Second, you'll find that this has much of the same gritty, "cyberpunk with a heart" kind of vibe. This story takes place on a different Earth or timeline, but it's closely related, and there is a chance for some crossover down the road.

This is NOT a LitRPG. It's a character-driven progression story. If you like cyberpunk and you like people working their way up the ladder, you'll enjoy this.