"In the end, you still are weak Hideki."


    . . . . . .


    3 and a half years ago at a bar in the Garuba district, Shinjuku city.


    A group of young men and women averaging between 18-19 years of age were having a small celebration for their sessful term exams.


    "Haha. After today brothers, we would no longer be identified as the weak freshmen we previously were but we would shine bright against our seniors. Now, cheers people!"


    "Cheers!"


    With that, all the people present downed their drinks in a hurry. Euphoria was all stered in the faces of most of them with few already disying a ruddyplexion as a result of the high alcohol contents of the drinks.


    "Damn. This is why I hate bars in Garuba. They just fill their drinks with bitter alcohol; no quality taste at all." a young man with ck hair and tall height enough for him to be a basketball yerined while trying to withstand the taste of the drink.


    "Haha, what would you know eh, Katsuo? Alcohol ought to taste like this. Such that only worthy men can tolerate it. Look even thedies aren''tining." Another young man but with a brown hairughed out while mockingly smiling at his partner opposite him.


    "I don''t know whether you areplimenting the us or insulting us?" A youngdy who was refilling her ss said absentmindedly though she was staring at the brown haired man as if ready to pounce at him the very second he makes the wrongment.


    Awkwardlyughing, the brown haired young man replied "Don''t misunderstand me Ema. It was apliment really. Ehn. It isn''t a bad thing for women to be stronger than men in alcohol tolerance. You''re a feminist; shouldn''t you be supporting me?"


    The ck haired young man, Katsuo harrumphed "Hmph. Only a fool would trust the words of a man who thinks with his lower body."


    "What did you say?" The brown haired man turned aggressive though it looked like he was putting on an act. Truth be told, he shouldn''t be med after all, his opponent was a man capable of going pro in basketball if he wished.


    "You think we''re all stupid? Everyone knows you brought us here so you could try your luck with any girl that would get drunk. For crying out loud Yato, this is a red light district. Now onees here without having a secondary objective." Katsuo pointed out.


    "Don''t offend us men. My ns may have been spoiled but don''t think it''s impossible for someone toe to a red light district just for fun." Yato yelled.


    "So you admit it?"


    "You…"


    "Hey, hey. Enough is enough okay. It''s already been quite a hectic day for us all. Can''t you guys just rx and enjoy the food and drinks? Remember, today''s a day of celebration not one of marriage quarrels." A silver haired man spoke.


    "Hahaha." Everyoneughed.


    "You…" Both Yato and Katsuo pointed their fingers at the silver haired man but in the end none of them made a move.


    "Haha." the silver haired man chuckled.


    Like that, conversations were going on among the group with a couple of themughing, some flirting, others challenging their body''s bottom-line on alcohol intake. All in all, the entire atmosphere was upbeat and cheerful.


    "So did you hear? Conquest ising online tomorrow." A student spoke up.


    "Oh? That new VR game?" Another side character asked.


    "Yeah. I heard it was made with the newest features in the VR sector. I even watched the ad. They were all like ''Conquest, envision your imaginations'' or something." A pink haired dude who we might never see ever againmented.


    "Hehe. Isn''t that what they all say? I bet it''s going to be just lousy." Yato guffawed.


    "Hideki, what''s your take on this?" Ema faced the well built young man beside her.


    "I don''t know yet. After Syncral had you know, ''Syncralled???, nopany would dare to bite off more than they can chew. So it should be worth it." Hidekimented.


    "But it''s best we ask the real pro, Sato. Compared to him, I''m just a small figure." Hideki smiled humbly while he looked towards a ck haired young man opposite. Even though it seemed like he was just focused on his meal and drinks, he still payed attention to their conversation.


    Lifting his head up, Sato said in a somewhat ethereal voice "Conquest eh? It''s worth it. I have this feeling inside me that tells me despite not being exactly as they advertised, the game should to be good; probably being the best we currently have."


    "And so the expert has spoken." Yato bowed exaggeratedly.


    With that everyoneughed and resumed their various discussions but Hideki still looked at Sato. What he was thinking, no one knew.


    "Haha. You lost Yato. Now hand me 3 ALDs." a slightly fat guy yelled.


    "Bullshit. You cheated."


    . . . . . .


    The next day at the Shinjuku School of Engineering and mechanics.


    Even though their exams were over, the students of the mechanical engineering department, 017 ss series, still had some obligatory sses to attend but it wasn''t like they would all seriously pay attention in ss.


    "So are guys in or what?" A tanned skin man who looked like he had a mix of African heritage in his Asian blood asked the ss members around him.


    "In for what?" Yato asked curiously as he was close enough to overhear him.


    "In Conquest of cour-" An enthusiastic young man suddenly yelled forgetting his location but that was until his mouth got closed by his seat neighbour.


    "Keep it low you moron. Professor Stales might hear you."


    "We n on making a guild of ours rather than joining those pros. That way we get to keep what we get and stay together and united. Most of the ss members who are nning on ying Conquest have already agreed with me; it''s just you guys left." The tanned man continued from where the other young man stopped off.


    "Nice. I''m in." Yato agreed to the arrangements.


    "Do you think you would be able to go against the other guilds just with you guys? That''s just stupid." The silver haired guy from beforemented.


    "Don''t worry about it. I got a couple other experts[1] to hep us. With their help, we would be able to rival 4th tier guilds already and if we all train with them we might be able to stand up to some of the weaker 3rd tier guilds." (AN : Experts here doesn''t refer to the type of yers but rather experienced and adept yers.)


    "...looks like you''ve got this all nned out. Count me in then."


    "Hideki what about you?" The tanned guy asked.


    "Considering it''s made up of us close friends, I''m in." Hideki nodded.


    "Wait wait wait. Take, do you mean it''s only us guys? What about Ema and the girls?"(AN : Not the verb ''take'' but ''Take'' in ''Takehashi''.)


    "Well Ema said she''s already in a guild." The tanned guy, Takehashi replied.


    "When did that happen?!"


    Takeshi spread his arms freely while saying "I don''t know. AS for the other girls, most of them aren''t interested with only Mia, Junko, Asami and Asuka giving the ''go ahead''."


    "What about Sato?" Hideki asked.


    "He said he prefers going solo but whenever we need him, he woulde." Takehashi replied.


    "So he was to y the role of a trump card eh? What a show-off." Yato humphed.


    "At least we still have him on our side and that''s better than nothing." Silver haired dude expounded.


    "Dear students at the back. It seems you''re not that interested in my ss. If that is the case, why don''t you just leave and wait for your results toe out" Professor Stales shouted from the stage in front of the ss, with his eyes focused on Takehashi''s bunch and a smile that wasn''t one.


    "Don''t misunderstand professor. Haha, we are just exchanging thoughts on the topic.." Takehashi stated with the rest of the group alsoughing awkwardly.