In a Bar.

Roseholics City.

Aiffel, Grate, and Madusa took a table for 3.

"Isn't she a girl from our class? She is trying to hit on you. You are not good at this. Man, she is bloody hot. Let me take your place!", Grate whispered to Aiffel.

"Shut up, bro!", Aiffel calmly, with an annoyed expression, replied to Grate before saying to her, "Madusa? What brings you here?"

"We're no friends here because I'm here to talk business with you.", Madusa replied. "Call me Miss Envy outside school, got it?"

"Business?", Aiffel asked.

"You are the Mechanic, aren't you?"

"Mechanic?"

"Yeah, that's what they call you now."

"They?"

"Come on, you are getting famous! You are the guy who wiped out the Yakuza without even touching their boss!"

"Idiot, offer her a drink!", Grate whispered.

"Umm, would you like a beer?", Aiffel asked her.

"Wine would be better.", Madusa replied. Then Aiffel happily went to the bartender to order three glasses of wine.

Later. They were drinking and talking about business.

"The crow-masked guy who gave a card to me was...?", Aiffel inquired.

"He is my colleague; Ryker.", Madusa replied.

"...and, uh..."

"Yes, the card is mine."

"*sighs in despair* Alright, so what business are we talking about, Miss Envy?"

"I work for an organization."

"The Yakuza?"

"*laughs* Then I would have killed you already."

"*sweaty smile* Uh... Ok."

"Geez, Aiffel.", Grate murmured.

"The name of the organization that I work for is the 'Alkali'. We are a small organization, unlike the big 4 of Sixxity. Among our competitors, the Yakuza is a small organization like us, and we often find ourselves in a fierce rivalry with them. Small organizations may join together to defeat a shared foe, but as there can only be one Shogun in Sixxity, the desire for power and control always results in betrayal. In a cut-throat world like this, it is not uncommon for small organizations to employ ruthless hitmen to eliminate their rivals. The other day, when the Yakuza came for you, Ryker saw the entire show you gave them. Our leader, Clive Huber, is interested in you.", Madusa stated.

"I apologize, Miss Envy, but I'm not a hitman.", said Aiffel.

"But you are a Mechanic."

"That doesn't change anything."

"Mr. Roseholic, I'm here to make an offer. Mr. Clive Huber wants to provide you with security in exchange for your service."

"I don't need any Securities."

"*laughs* You don't understand. The leader of the Yakuza, Keiji Inoki, is an outrageous man. Do you think it's over between you two? He will come back over and over again until either you are dead or he is dead. You need the Alkali's protection."

"I think you haven’t heard me. I don't need your protection. You guys may call me The Mechanic now, but you don't know who I am."

"The Iron Kid, I know—a member of the Iron Club. Not everyone knows what that Lion tattoo on your middle chest means, but I do. You are more famous than you think, Mr. Roseholic. You are already under their protection, but they weren't there for you when the Yakuza came for you, were they?"

"That's because I joined Iron Club to learn how to protect myself, not to get under their protection.", said Aiffel in a serious tone as he stood up and was ready to leave. "Without even the slightest understanding of the subject at hand, avoid making any assumptions and drawing any hasty conclusions. Let's go, Grate."

"I don't think Iron Club would care less about Sixxity. You are being heavily mistaken if you confuse Sixxity with the Heptagon.", Madusa chuckled.

Aiffel was losing his cool this time and said, "Madusa... or Miss Envy. I don't want to lose my cool, but I told you twice already. I don't need any securities; I don't need any protection. Please don't make me say it thrice! ...I'm comfortable staying friends with you rather than becoming business partners." Then he and Grate made their exit from the bar.

Madusa followed them outside and said, "I am aware that you don't require any protection because your wounds heal quickly... What happens, though, if your boss—who you view as your father figure—is killed by the Yakuza instead of their finding you?", which caught Aiffel off guard. She continued, "...You think you are so strong, Mr. Roseholic, but they know your weakness. Do you still think you don't want any protection? You'll have to do something before they attack you again. The sun has set, and what if you are wounded now? You can't heal yourself!"

"She knows my weaknesses very well.", Aiffel thought before calmly replying to her, "Tell Mr. Huber that I don't want to leave Iron Club as the Iron Kid and join the Alkali to become the Mechanic.", even though he was irritated.

"Who said anything about leaving Iron Club?", said Madusa.

Aiffel stopped, turned back at Madusa, and asked, "What's that?"

"Mr. Huber isn't offering you to leave Iron Club to join the Alkali.", said Madusa. "He is just offering you a job that is temporary. You do the job and get paid when it's done."

Both Grate and Aiffel looked at each other. Grate whispered, "Take it."

"I'm listening.", Aiffel said to Madusa.

"All you need to do is associate with the alkali. In addition, the boss will pay you for every mission and whatever assistance you require, so you only need to assist him when he requests it.", Madusa stated.

"...how much?", Aiffel asked.

"They will pay us?", Grate asked excitedly.

"Not you!", Madusa said to Grate before answering to Aiffel, "Trust me... Our boss is a Millionaire."

"And how much is he going to pay him for every mission?", Grate asked.

"50 grands or even 100.", Madusa replied. Both Aiffel and Grate gulped to hear that.

"Take it, bro.", Grate whispered to Aiffel. "You don't typically receive offers like this. Opportunities like these don't present themselves again and again."

"He will always make you an irresistible offer before a mission; I guarantee it! So, deal?", Madusa continued.

Aiffel seemed to be a little excited when he said, "Let's drink to that!" before they went back to the bar to drink.

After they were done, they exited the bar. Madusa gave Aiffel her card and said, "Although you already have it, here's my card again. Contact me for any help. And I'll call you when the boss needs you.", before getting into her car and saying, "Call me! ;)"

The window of the car got closed, and then she drove away.

"Wow, man... Do you guys know each other from way before? I mean, you two sounded like it.", Grate asked.

"...remember I told you about a girl I met at detention during my freshman year?", said Aiffel.

"Yeah?"

"...that was her. Madusa."

"*flabbergasted* What!? ...damn, man. I envy you! Why do you always get the good stuff?"

"Let's go home... School tomorrow."

"Geez..."

Next morning. Aiffel woke up, washed his face, and got ready for school. All of a sudden, his phone rang.

Aiffel answered, "Hello?"

"5 minutes! I'll be in front of your house!", a girl replied.

"What? Who?"

"Madusa! Boss wants to see you!"

"What the hell! Now? I have school! Don't you have school too?"

Madusa hung up the phone.

Aiffel uttered, "Crap!"

5 minutes later.

Aiffel came out of his house. "You are 2 minutes late," smiled Madusa as she waited in her car.

"...you are 2 minutes early.", Aiffel replied.

"Get in the car.", said Madusa.

Aiffel got in the car while saying, "I'm never late. I'm always right on time."

Then. Madusa started the car, and she began to drive.

"How did you know where I live?", Aiffel asked.

"I tracked down your phone number.", Madusa answered.

"And how did you know my phone number?"

"Oh, you don't remember?"

"No...?"

"Just as I thought. You weren’t sober back then; you were still drunk."

"Wait, what?"

"You're completely a different person when you are drunk. You know that?"

"...did I do something wrong?"

"You called me, and we talked for hours. There was nothing wrong. Check your phone."

Aiffel checked and shouted, "2 hours and 17 minutes??? I don't remember anything! ...are you mad? Did I say something wrong when we talked?"

"Oh, no. I'd rather say that...it was lovely."

"*sighed with a little red on his face* Oh, geez..."

Then they were silenced for some time until Aiffel asked, "So, why does your boss want to see me now? I believed that the meetings and celebrations for these mafia groups took place at night."

"Let's go there and see what the boss is up to...", said Madusa. Then they reached their destination. Madusa parked the car in the underground parking lot and said to Aiffel, "Welcome to Sixxity, Mr Roseholic!"

Then they used the elevator to reach the top floor, entered the office, and knocked on the boss' door.

"Come in!", said a voice from the inside. Aiffel and Madusa entered the room. The rolling chair was turned around, and the man on the chair was having a cigar. Ryker was there too, wearing a crow mask and just chilling on the side.

"Boss, he is here.", said Madusa.

The rolling chair was turned to them, the man looked confused, and he asked Ryker, "You sure this is the guy?"

"That's him... The Mechanic.", Ryker answered as he unmasked and shook hands with Aiffel.

"Thank you for having me, but that's not my name.", said Aiffel.

"Have a seat, Mr. Roseholic!", said the man. And then, as soon as Aiffel sat down, the man fired at him using a gun. Aiffel caught the bullet using two fingers with no problem.

Madusa rushed to say to Aiffel, "Don't react; he is only testing you!"

Aiffel glared at the man before staring at Madusa. Then he looked back at the man.

"Well, I thought he was only a kid.", said the man while looking at Ryker with a 'thank you' expression and quoting, "A man whose faith has not been tested cannot be trusted. That's why trust, but verify."

"I'd love to take that wound from this bullet and heal myself immediately, but unfortunately, the sunlight can't reach me in here. So I decided to catch it instead.", Aiffel shared while dropping the bullet down.

"Very well. My name is Clive Huber.", the man introduced himself. "Welcome to the Alkali. I'm the leader of this organization. Heard you will do anything for money?"

Aiffel was silenced for a while before asking, "What's my play?"

"I want to eliminate all other mafia organizations here in Sixxity, give Sixxity a new name known as the 'Alkali', and become its Shogun!", Clive stated. "And you are going to help me achieve that, Mr Roseholic! You are going to lead my men into every mission and accomplish them!"

Aiffel took some time before answering, "...on 3 conditions!"

Clive gazed at both Ryker and Madusa before saying to Aiffel, "Well... Let me have it."

"One; I will work only at night. Two; I won't be doing the killings.", Aiffel stated.

Clive took some time and then asked, "Why only at night?"

"I have school and work during the daytime."

"...and the second condition? I thought you would do anything for money."

"It has to do with one's moral principles, which other people ought to regard with respect. So, no matter how strong I am, I can't do it."

"...all right, Mr. Roseholic. You won't have to kill people. Just weaken them to the point where my men can kill them easily afterward. But are you sure you will do this at night? Don't you need rest? I mean, you said that you need sunlight to heal your wounds faster, and you won't have that at night."

"You don't need to worry about that."

"Besides. Why do you need to work now that you will be working for the Alkali?"

"...I won't do this forever."

"Ok... Moving on, what's your third condition?"

"*grinned* ...if you want me to work for the Alkali and do your missions, I'll work only with my team...Free Birds!"

When they heard that, Madusa, Ryker, and even Clive were astounded, eyes wide open.

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