The heat of Quezon City was a heavy, suffocating blanket.
A damp, sticky humidity that clung to the skin and smelled faintly of diesel and old concrete.
Aiden Monteverde, now eighteen, stood outside the municipal building, the noon sun beating down on his neck.
He wasn't sweating.
His face remained a mask of cool, surgical patience, though his teeth were grinding slightly.
He had just been scammed out of the last of his family's savings, ₱80,000$, by a low-level political hack named Councilor Carding Flores.
The sudden surge of capital—the system's cruel, instantaneous gift—had hit him moments after the humiliation.
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱160,000]
He spent $₱20$ on water to confirm it. The balance was real. Spending doubled his money. Simple. Broken.
A cold, calculating fury replaced the rage. The problem of capital was solved. Now, he needed tools.
He looked down at his clothes—faded jeans, a worn t-shirt—and his sputtering, ancient scooter parked nearby. He needed to look the part of a man who commanded respect, not charity.
The Acquisition of the Aerox
Aiden drove his old scooter to the nearest large Yamaha Dealership on EDSA. The glass-fronted showroom was cool, sterile, and full of salespeople who only saw commission.
He bypassed the cheap models and walked directly to the Yamaha Aerox 155 ABS.
"I want this bike," Aiden stated to the nearest, slightly bored sales agent.
"A premium model, sir. We can discuss financing," the agent offered, sizing up Aiden's worn attire.
Aiden pulled out the thick wad of cash—the freshly duplicated money—and placed it on the counter. "Cash. Right now. I need the bike registered under my name, ready to roll in one hour."
The agent's demeanor instantly changed from skeptical to deferential. The total cost of the base bike was $₱125,000$.
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱125,000]
[Purpose: Asset Acquisition (Yamaha Aerox 155, Base)]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱250,000]
Aiden walked out thirty minutes later, riding a brand-new, factory-stock matte black Aerox. It was fast, but it was still just a stock bike.
It was not pormado. It wasn't built for war.
Zero-Friction Garage
Aiden knew exactly where to go for the transformation. He rode the pristine Aerox not toward the rich suburbs, but deep into a cluttered pocket near Batasan Road, the heart of old-school motor culture.
He was looking for Zero-Friction Garage.
The shop was hidden behind a tangle of old tires and rusting metal, but its reputation was legendary. It was known for impossible precision engineering, and its notorious owner, Rafael "King Rat" Salonga.
King Rat, a towering man with forearms like engine blocks and scars that told stories, looked up from grinding a cylinder head. He ran the road years ago, a certified street gang OG, now channeling his lethal focus into mechanics.
He eyed Aiden's new, untouched bike with disdain. "You got a factory bike here, kid. What do you want, a sticker?"
"I want a machine," Aiden replied, shutting off the Aerox engine. "Circuit concept, stealth build. I want it 'pormado.' It needs to handle corners like a surgical knife and be invisible in a crowd."
He then detailed the specific, high-end components: Pirelli Diablo slicks, adjustable racing suspension, a tuned exhaust, and a stripped-down, matte aesthetic.
"That's a ₱70,000 customization job," King Rat stated, unimpressed, crossing his massive arms. "And a two-week wait for my attention."
Aiden didn't argue. He pulled out another wad of cash. "I need it tomorrow, 3 PM. I'm paying a ₱50,000 rush fee. Pay your best technician overtime, Rafael."
The use of his first name, the technical knowledge, and the sudden appearance of the heavy cash made King Rat pause. He picked up the $₱120,000$ (customization + rush) and slowly weighed it in his hand.
"You smell like the street, but you talk like you own the land, kid," King Rat observed, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you, really?"
"Aiden Monteverde," he repeated. "I am changing the game here, Rafael. And I need tools that don't fail, from people who don't betray."
King Rat recognized the intensity. It was the fire of someone who had nothing to lose but was about to take everything.
"I respect a man who buys time," King Rat conceded, pocketing the rush money. "You get your bike, Aiden. And if anyone messes with my machine, they answer to me."
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱120,000 (Customization + Rush Fee)]
[Purpose: Asset Enhancement (Yamaha Aerox 155)]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱240,000]
The next day, Aiden returned. The Aerox was a dark predator now. It was functionally perfect: fast, silent when it needed to be, and intimidatingly simple.
Aiden had secured an indispensable alliance with a formidable man, and in the process, doubled his money twice over. The initial ₱80,000 loss was now a net gain of over ₱365,000 in capital.
He was equipped. He was funded. Now, he would move.
Aiden straddled his new ride.
He brought up the System interface.
[Side Function: Market Prediction (80% Accuracy)]
He entered his first query, targeting the most volatile and exploitable sector he could find with his current capital.