KON POV

The apartment is small for most people, but it's just right for me, cozy and comfortable. As soon as you walk in, there's a sliding door to the left that houses both the washing machine and a medium-sized fridge, with a microwave sitting on top. I have to pull out a footstool to reach the microwave. Adjacent to the fridge is the kitchen, separated by a wall partition.

The sink and stoves in the kitchen are simple but sufficient, large enough for me to grab my Wok for a quick stir-fry. There's cabinet storage above for ingredients and spices, although I'll need to invest in a spice rack to avoid reaching up every time I need something.

Adjacent to the kitchen stands a 2-meter-tall loft, a surprising feature that immediately caught my attention and didn't disappoint upon inspection. Ascending the retractable ladder reveals a spacious loft capable of accommodating three people comfortably for a party or sleepover, making the total capacity of the apartment a generous six individuals, not including the living room floor.

While the loft boasts power sockets and light switches, it lacks a mattress, necessitating a purchase large enough to fit the space. In the interim, a futon will suffice. Below the loft, a series of large holes in cabinets provide ample storage for my books and belongings.

Speaking of books, that idiot Zack refused to give me back my stuff, telling me he was going to do some research with it. That asshole. When I tried to get it back, he just outstretched his hand and put it on my head. I rather not have Venti laughing at me obnoxiously, so I just gave up. He better not introduce me to some aunty later on as a prank.

Adjacent to the cabinets, a long L-shaped wall table spans the opposite section of the apartment, flanked by two large windows adorned with curtains. The table offers enough space for four to five people to comfortably gather, though additional chairs are required as only one is currently available.

Beneath the loft, the bathroom awaits, boasting a standard size for most but appearing quite spacious to me, given my small stature. Sliding the door open reveals a mirror and another sink with drawers below, while the toilet on the left, complete with a bidet spray, offers convenience. However, it's the surprise of a second bathroom to the right that truly astonishes me.

In addition to the bathroom amenities, there's both a shower and a bathtub, spacious enough for one adult. Given my smaller size, I can fully stretch out and immerse myself comfortably, making it a welcome feature. I'm looking forward to filling the tub with hot water tonight and enjoying a relaxing soak.

With the apartment tour complete, I find myself in the kitchen, preparing lunch for three after a trip to the nearby grocery store to pick up ingredients and spices.

“Kooon, is it done yet?” Venti groaned.

“10 more minutes. Can you install the TV in the meantime?”

As the hot pot continued to simmer, I chopped and diced all the ingredients provided by Zack and Venti and placed them in a saucepan along with some chicken broth for a flavorful soup base. Setting up a low, round table, I placed a portable stove on top and placed the saucepan on it, creating a quick and cozy hot pot setup.

While the hot pot simmers away, I've also taken out the leftover rice from yesterday and whipped up a simple egg-fried rice for three to complement the meal. Simple, yet nutritious. Egg-fried rice with hot pot meatballs and veggies. Serves up!

“Very good my loyal subjects. Thy dedications have appeased me.” The idiot T-posed on the loft.

“Zack, stop being a dumbass on the loft and help me unpack the stuff and put it in those cabinets.”

“Nah, foods first.”

This guy….

Luckily, the TV is connected to the internet, so I've asked Venti to turn it on and switch to a TVhead podcast channel while I set up the plates and dishes for our meal.

So, get this: the fight for District Chiba has stirred up the hornet's nest in the power struggle dynamics. People are being treated to a front-row seat to observe how A-rank battlers perform, and what a battle it was!

The Ramp Rebel team was only at C rank, though.

That's the crazy part! The Zephyr guild leader hasn't made any comments to this date on why they put Stormhunt in for the fight. I suspected they knew about the appearance of the Magician and decided to cut his growing nose short. But imagine my surprise when the Ramp Rebel team revealed that the 250k credit bets were coming out of the magician’s pocket!

Too bad the magician guy and that BeastTech user quit the team after the match, though. On the bright side, there are several growing fanbases for both of them! Just look at the number of threads on the Reddot forum.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Nearly a week has passed, and yet many OurTube channels dedicated to SpeedGear-related topics continue to focus on how a C-rank user is holding their ground against an A-rank user.

Turning to Reddot forum threads on my phone, I find numerous expressions of concern ranging from how this battle is going to spark yet another area-grab war, down to people outright claiming that the whole thing is a sham to tickle our hype belly.

"Well, at least the fan art is enjoyable," Zack remarked as he admired some of the catkin fan art.

"I wonder how all of this is going to impact other sectors," Venti pondered aloud.

"I'm betting on increased recruitment for talents," Zack chimed in. "What do you think, Kon?"

While they were engrossed in conversation and their meals, I continued scrolling through the forum for the latest updates. One particular thread caught my attention, and I shared it with them.

"Check this out," I said, showing them the post. "Someone just shared statistics and charts detailing the activity and recruitment drives of major guilds in the outer sectors. And compared to last year, it's nearly doubled."

"Damn. Are they gearing up for war or something?" Venti's observation wasn't unfounded; the data did seem to suggest heightened tension.

"It certainly looks that way from an outsider's perspective," I agreed. "It's like a snowball effect. One guild perceives a threat, so they strengthen their forces, which then prompts other guilds to do the same. And the cycle continues."

"I'm guessing this will impact this year's major tournaments too?" Zack speculated. Does he plan on getting into a tournament this year? Seems farfetched considering our team hadn't even been formed yet.

"I can't say for sure," I replied. "Most of the inner Ring guilds keep things under wraps, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're secretly gearing up as well."

"And all this came from a guy who once dressed up like a parlor magician..." Venti trailed off, his attention suddenly drawn elsewhere. "Wait, is that BOA?"

At Venti's mention, I halted my scrolling and returned to the previous guild page to check.

BOA is a hunting guild known for specializing in Hurdles and Hunts. Over the past six months, they've managed to climb back up into the top 50 ranks following a significant decline. In their heyday, they were infamous for their gangster-like behavior, although they operated with a certain code of honor, resembling a blend of legal yakuza and Yankees.

During their peak, their membership swelled, allowing them to participate in numerous tournaments and district skirmishes. They were even commissioned by corporations for area-grab missions and official matches, earning them the title of "supernova" due to their rapid ascent.

However, their activity suddenly came to a halt one day. There were no more tournaments, battles, or any significant engagements. Many of their senior members retired, and while recruits filled the gaps, they lacked the ferocity of their predecessors.

Rumors circulated about an unknown superhuman allegedly whooped their main headquarters, sending them into another dimension. However, the guild's leader remained tight-lipped about the incident, refusing to confirm or deny any speculation.

After six months of relative quiet, BOA began to rise again, though their resurgence was considerably slower than their previous supernova period.

The story is indeed peculiar, but not entirely unfamiliar. It's not uncommon for guilds to experience rises and falls, often breaking apart or merging with others after encountering adversaries larger than themselves. However, it does strike me as odd that such a downfall occurred relatively quickly for a guild boasting a Supernova title holder.

“You know, I was the guild leader of BOA, back in the day.” Venti dropped out of nowhere.

My eyes widened, and I nearly did a spit take. It took a moment to recall our previous conversation. Venti did seem to possess prior knowledge of guild dynamics when we discussed building a SpeedGear team. I hadn't realized he was referring to his experience with a mid-sized guild like BOA.

"You founded a guild at such a young age?" I asked, astonished.

"Yeah, they called me the child prodigy, but I mainly focused on kicking asses. A corpo saw my potential and sponsored me a provisional license. I left the management to some other guy," Venti replied casually.

"Now that you mention it, you did mention leaving the guild after getting your ass trashed by someone. So, that was BOA?" Zack inquired.

"I didn't get trashed, you idiot. I landed a few hits too. But yeah, Berserkerz on Air was the name they gave me and the guild. Let's see, the current leader is Jackal," Venti confirmed.

I refrained from commenting on the Chuuni-like name and instead focused my attention on the guy. He was tall and thin, with medium-length hair that fell past his neck. Dressed in a black suit and hat, with a smiling face in the portrait, he exuded an aura reminiscent of a merchant or businessman.

"Huh, that scrawny guy became the leader? He used to be the bookkeeper of the guild, hella shy too. Do they still specialize in hunts and hurdles?" Venti reminisced.

"Well, according to the statistics, it seems hurdles aren't their focus anymore. However, they're still heavily involved in commissions for corporations and area grabs," I replied, tapping through their guild bio for confirmation.

"And now they're looking to expand their territory?" Zack queried.

"It appears so. That Jackal guy can be quite shrewd when it comes to money," Venti confirmed.

With Venti engrossed in his search for old guild members on my phone, and Zack flipping through TV channels for news unrelated to SpeedGear, I took the opportunity to tidy up the table and wash the dishes. Afterward, we played a few games before calling it a day as the late afternoon approached. We bid each other farewell, knowing that our next meeting would be at the Academy's opening ceremony.

Now, with everything else done, I had one last thing to try before settling in to watch some of the latest TV series I followed.

Filling the bathtub with hot water, I felt a rush of excitement. Once it was full, I added a bath salt and watched as it bubbled up, turning the water milky white. Tentatively, I dipped my fingers in to test the temperature.

Yep, Tres bien.

I eased my whole body into the water, submerging myself in the pseudo jacuzzi. Ah... bliss. The heat enveloped me, providing a comforting sensation akin to being wrapped in a warm blanket during winter. The thought of installing a TV crossed my mind, but the cost of waterproofing installation deterred me for now.

Instead, I settled for a tablet sealed in a Ziplock bag as the next best option.

Raising my glass of cold orange juice, I took a refreshing sip.

Cheers to a better tomorrow.