At the warm invitation of the Sons of Calydon, Zhong Yan visited a small town called Blazewood Town.
It was said to be the core area of the Sons of Calydon's territory; The place they would risk their lives to protect.
The biker clans of the Outer Ring all held their own unique beliefs. Because of this shared respect for faith, they managed to coexist peacefully.
As for those outsiders—they didn't understand the rules at all. That alone was enough for the major Outer Ring powers to unite and hunt them down.
"Make yourself at home. Bernice, bring our guest a cup of Nitro-Fuel—he's an honored guest of the Sons of Calydon!" As the leader, Caesar cheerfully waved Zhong Yan to a seat while instructing Bernice.
"Got it! Right away!" Bernice lit up with excitement at the command, quickly darting into a room to prepare. She soon returned with a special beverage in hand.
Nitro-Fuel was a specialty unique to the Outer Ring—similar in nature to alcohol, or rather, it was alcohol, just renamed to better fit the Outer Ring's aesthetic.
Zhong Yan politely declined: "I'm not interested in alcohol. It would mess with my brain's functioning."
After all, Zhong Yan was still a high school junior, even if he was technically of legal age. Since he had no drinking habit, he refused Bernice's special Nitro-Fuel without hesitation.
"You don't drink alcohol? That's a surprise! The legendary Uchiha, not drinking... Hang tight, I'll whip you up a non-alcoholic version."
Bernice wasn't the least bit embarrassed by his refusal. On the contrary, she downed the Nitro-Fuel in one gulp and dove back into the room to prepare another.
When she came back out, she held a freshly made Nitro-Fuel—only this time, it contained no alcohol. Instead, it was a creamy beverage more suited to children's tastes.
As the town's famously enthusiastic big sister, Bernice had her own methods when it came to handling kids.
Creating non-alcoholic Nitro-Fuels was one such method.
"This one's good to go—no alcohol at all! The kids in town love it," Bernice said with a smile, handing the drink to Zhong Yan.
Faced with such genuine hospitality, Zhong Yan had no reason to refuse anymore. He reached out and accepted it, preparing to lift one corner of his mask.
Just as he was about to do so, Caesar and Lucy leaned in close, as if they had predicted his move.
It was obvious they wanted to catch a glimpse of his face beneath the mask.
But Zhong Yan wasn't about to reveal his secret so easily. He immediately halted his motion.
His reaction left both Caesar and Lucy looking slightly embarrassed. Realizing they had been rude; They quickly averted their gazes.
After confirming no one was watching, Zhong Yan slowly lifted just the corner of his mask and drank by himself.
Soon enough, he finished the entire cup. The sweet and tangy flavor was just like the childhood milk drinks he remembered, evoking a nostalgic desire for another glass.
Still, he restrained himself, handing the empty cup back to Bernice and saying approvingly, "Good taste. If I get the chance, I'd love to have a few more."
Zhong Yan's compliment instantly filled Bernice with immense joy. If her excitement could be turned into a flamethrower, the flames would probably shoot higher than a Zero Hollow.
Among the five core members of the Sons of Calydon, Caesar, Bernice, and Piper were already convinced Zhong Yan was a trustworthy ally. Only Lucy remained suspicious of his true intentions.
As for Lighter, he wasn't the kind to trust easily either, so he too kept his guard up around Zhong Yan.
However, since Caesar was the leader, her decision to bring Zhong Yan back held more weight. Even if Lucy and Lighter opposed it, they couldn't really change anything.
The good news was that Zhong Yan hadn't shown any hostility toward them—for now—which made it easier for them to offer tentative trust.
"Today's visit ends here. Thank you for the warm hospitality, but I still have other matters to attend to."
After finishing his drink, Zhong Yan stood up calmly and addressed the group.
Upon hearing this, Caesar and Lucy exchanged a glance. Then Caesar nodded and said, "Alright, if you have to go, we won't hold you back. But if you ever find yourself in a tough spot you can't handle, come find us! We Sons of Calydon will never turn our backs on someone who saved our lives."
Caesar spoke with such boldness and sincerity that it was hard to believe she was a woman. Yet perhaps it was precisely this blend of toughness and kindness that had united the Sons of Calydon into one strong family.
"Boss! Bad news, Boss! Pompey from the Vanquishers just showed up in Blazewood Town with his men! They're here to call us to account!"
Suddenly, a breathless member of the Sons of Calydon burst through the door, urgently shouting the news.
Everyone present froze in surprise—even Zhong Yan was caught off guard.
Calling them to account? Could it be that the Sons of Calydon had done something wrong? Otherwise, why would someone named Pompey come storming in with such accusations?
"Vanquishers?" Lucy snapped the moment she recovered, her face darkening. "Those guys didn't show up when we were being hunted down, and now they have the nerve to come and scold us? Do they think we're easy targets?!"
Fuming, she grabbed her baseball bat from the side, ready to confront Pompey head-on.
Her trio of piglet bodyguards immediately fell into step behind her.
But just then, Caesar reached out and stopped her.
"Caesar, what are you doing? They're already bullying the Sons of Calydon, and you're just going to stand by?!" Lucy asked, completely unable to understand her leader's restraint.
However, Caesar had her own reasoning. Without offering much explanation, she simply said, "Lucy, I've lived in the Outer Ring long enough to know that the Vanquishers' boss isn't someone who would frame us without cause."
"I think there must be a misunderstanding. Instead of rushing into a fight, we should at least hear them out first."