Blazewood, beside Burnice's Mixing Room.
It wasn't just Nicole, Belle, and the others returning from outside work—Caesar and Lucy had also gathered by now.
Staring at the heap of empty cups in front of them, everyone felt their vision darken.
How much did they drink!?
"Wow, so while we were out working our butts off, you were here drinking with a pretty girl!?"
Nicole leapt forward and clung onto Sol Mercer's neck from behind, her expression both fierce and adorably pouty.
Her heart was completely unbalanced. She wanted to enjoy life too! She wanted to relax with a nice fuel drink!
Did Sol stop loving his boss? Why didn't he call her for a drink too if he was slacking off!?
"My work is already finished. Having a drink to relax isn't an issue." Sol remained unmoving—completely steady—and even leaned his head back to nuzzle Nicole's cheek, smiling. "If you'd finished your work, I definitely would have called you."
"Hmph~"
Nicole huffed, reluctantly accepting that explanation.
…but finished?
"You were that fast?"
Everyone looked suspiciously at Sol.
Modifying a bike was no small job—doing ONE in a day was already difficult. And here they had FOUR.
"Of course. Fast and strong."
Sol took a satisfied sip of nectar and answered confidently.
Hic~ Burnice hiccupped, her gaze hazy and her smile dazzling. "Yep! We finished modifying everything in just one afternoon! I even tested mine—the results were amazing!"
She felt she had found a true soulmate. It was her first time having someone willing to taste all her fuel drinks.
She drank along in her excitement… drank and drank and drank…
How many exactly?
Burnice patted her head. She couldn't quite remember.
"Burnice, are you sure you're not drunk driving?"
Piper's golden hair fluttered as her bright green eyes looked at Burnice with deep concern.
"Drink and don't drive, drive and don't drink—I totally remember!"
Burnice said with confident drunkenness.
"Sigh… she's definitely wasted."
Lucy rubbed her forehead, deciding to scold Burnice only after she sobered up.
"Even if she's drunk, what she said is true." Sol pointed toward the garage, smiling at Lucy, Caesar, and the others. "Go check your motorcycles. The exterior is unchanged—should fit your tastes."
"Then let's try them!"
Caesar rubbed his hands excitedly, unable to wait to see his beloved bike's new shape.
This modification was done by Sol—the same man who had made Billy's Starlight Knight transformation belt.
After his modification, the bikes had to be miles better than before.
"Mhm!"
Lucy still found one day a bit fast.
But if Sol said they were done, they likely wouldn't have any major issues. A test ride wouldn't hurt.
Lucy, Caesar, and Lighter headed toward the garage, tense but excited for what came next.
"We're going too!"
Everyone else was curious as well and followed.
Soon, the group gathered in front of the garage.
Seeing the pile of cleaned bike parts and four old engines, they could tell Burnice and Sol really had worked hard.
Before they could even think about why the engines weren't installed, they saw the four motorcycles lined neatly in a row.
The outer shells looked nearly the same as before, but every detail revealed a rebirth through fire.
Without a doubt—they were fully modified. Burnice had even fueled them up already.
Caesar, Lucy, and Lighter brightened with joy—same exterior, new heart.
They each straddled a bike and twisted the throttle.
With a roar, the three bikes started up and circled the garage.
More horsepower. More punch.
Harder to control—but for these three veterans of the Outer Ring, it was no problem.
In fact, taming a stronger beast carried even more satisfaction.
Caesar released the handlebars, letting the motorcycle glide forward freely. "This powerful machine fills me with delight!"
"You've got someone sitting behind you! Don't you dare drive dangerously, you idiot!"
A few strands of Lucy's golden hair fluttered in the wind as she shouted.
She loved it too—but unlike Caesar, she wasn't clueless.
Liking something was one thing—you shouldn't be too obvious about it.
"Looks like they really like your work."
Nicole stood with hands on her hips beside Sol.
Pride rose in her chest—Sol never disappointed her.
Even if he drank with another girl, at least he never let proper work fall behind.
Though… that thought didn't make her happy.
That part would have to be discussed privately.
In bed.
Sol nodded calmly. "If I modified it, there's never a need to doubt the quality."
"Your skills might be even better than Uncle Enzo!" Belle leaned in to praise him.
Enzo was the owner of the Sixth Street repair shop—an expert in both repairs and modifications, rumored to be a mechanical savant.
Judging by Sol's work, he might even surpass Enzo.
"Not necessarily. Everyone has their specialty."
Sol kept a modest expression.
That man who repaired bikes during the day and secretly modified Bangboos illegally at night was no simple figure.
Sure, Sol's skills were one fingertip universe ahead—but there was no need to brag.
Belle nudged Sol's shoulder with a playful grin. "This cocky side of you is exactly what I like."
"Mhm~"
Sol's lips curled up; he shrugged lightly.
Fine. It did feel a little good.
Moments later—
"Whoo! NICE!" Lighter drifted beautifully to a stop beside Sol. He pushed up his sunglasses and grinned. "Thanks for the mod. My bike's completely leveled up—I feel like it can stick with me for another ten years."
The Outer Ring's harsh environment shortened a motorcycle's lifespan—usually two or three years before a replacement.
Saying goodbye to an old partner was always painful.
Now, with the bike reborn, it felt like an old friend's life had been extended.
"No need to thank me—I promised I'd help." Sol smiled casually. "As long as you guys like it."
Soon, Caesar and Lucy stopped their bikes as well, offering sincere gratitude.
"Sol, thank you for the modification—I'm extremely satisfied!" Caesar slung an arm around Sol's shoulders, full of heroic energy. "Just wait—I'll ride this machine, shout your name, win Tour de Inferno, and become the new ruler of the Outer Ring!"
"This is… our bond!"
She gazed at Sol, passion blazing in her eyes—already seeing him as a sworn brother.
Sol shuddered, goosebumps rising everywhere. "Please don't shout my name. Absolutely don't!"
He wasn't Naruto, and Caesar wasn't Sasuke—he did not want that sticky bromance arc.
"Um… sorry. I misunderstood you earlier. I thought you and Burnice were just slacking off." Lucy pressed her thighs together nervously, apologizing. "I was wrong. Thank you for your work!"
Her eyes darted away, unable to look at Sol directly.
She only forced herself to meet his gaze after awkwardly finishing her apology.
"It's fine. Totally normal." Sol didn't mind—he only joked, "Just remember next time. You guys on the front lines just need to work hard. We in logistics have to consider a lot more."
"Huh?"
Lucy froze.
Something about that sounded… off.