The AFC was a large organization owned by several corporations, with the two largest shareholders being NIRV and ONE LTD, a company owned by Harvor Ego, the leader of the One Gang.
They even had ownership and were part of the creation of the AFA, one of the many academies that trained young Altered, but the AFA had the closest links to the AFC, providing a direct path to becoming an AFC fighter, which was the goal of many Altered.
The AFC was the biggest sport in the world, with several venues in multiple cities. There were even venues in other tier-1 cities where the other Kings were present.
If a big AFC match was to take place, people from all over, including other countries, would arrive to watch it. It was a big boost to a town’s economy, so they had no reason to go against it.
The biggest and most well-known venue was in Strifehold, the largest city in the north of the country.
It was also the biggest territory owned by any of the gangs and under their control, and it only grew larger when they took over Inferno City.
Strifehold City wasn’t like many tier-1 cities. Due to the large land mass, it wasn’t like other urban areas where there would be large skyscrapers or apartment buildings where people lived on top of each other.
There were several large courts, giant shopping malls, and car parks. To travel around, nearly everyone needed a car or had to take the underground tunnel to get from one place to another.
Everything was built on a large scale, including statues, one of them being the current AFC Champion, Harvor.
The biggest arena, known as the Bloodspire, was located in a large open square. It was more like a theme park, with open roads, shops, shopping malls, cinemas, and thrill-seeking rides as well.
Some of them were based on Altereds that were well known in the AFC, modeled around the creatures. It was a must-see destination for many.
Then it had the main attraction: the actual fighting venue in the center. In the center of the landmass where the event would take place, there was a large statue of Harvor.
One section of the large area, which was a strange round-shaped building like a giant ball, was the building for the staff, and not just the staff, but also the main center where the One Gang operated from.
The space had facilities for training Altered, rooms for offices, and more.
In one of the rooms, there was an octagon ring, and state-of-the-art equipment littered everywhere. The room took up an entire floor of the building, and there was even a specially designed swimming pool that would produce its own waves.
In the center of the ring, there was a man. His dark black hair was standing tall, slightly swept back, with his sides shaven.
Sweat was running down his chiseled body, tracing along a large tattoo of a purple dragon on his back.
Standing in the center, he was breathing slowly until a beeping sound was heard, and he looked at his wrist at his digital watch.
“Is that the time already?” Harvor said, and right on cue, double doors on one side of the room swung open.
Several men, in purple and white tracksuits, entered the building. All of them were of different shapes and sizes, but there was one thing in common about them all: they had an athletic build.
If they were big, they had bouldering shoulders. If they were smaller, their veins could be seen clear as day, even while standing.
They all looked like athletes who had been training their entire lives.
“We greet the Great Harvor!” the men said as they bowed down, and one person in particular, with square black frame glasses, moved forward.
He opened the octagon cage door and handed Harvor a towel.
“You’re usually ready by now, sir. Is there something on your mind?” Stanley asked.
“It’s just the upcoming match. I have to prepare for it, don’t I?” Harvor replied.
“You always put in the same amount of preparation no matter who you are going up against, but this time it’s against someone who isn’t even above rank 20. Why are you training so hard?” Stanley asked.
“You should know that there are new Altered every day,” Harvor replied. “There are other organizations making new serums and stronger beasts every day.”
“Once you have become an Altered, there is no way to change what Altered you are, at least that we know of yet. So I am limited by my Altered’s powers.”
“Yes, but your Altered is still the strongest one ever found by NIRV, is it not? NIRV has not told you of another one that they have found?” Stanley replied.
“You are correct, but Sin also had an extremely powerful Altered, and look at what that did for him. Since we can’t change our Altered forms, we have to improve our own natural bodies.”
“Pushing the body strengthens the Altered as well. It’s a basic principle taught in the AFC. Those who rely on the powers of their forms will never make it to the top,” Harvor said as he looked ahead behind the door.
“Now tell me, which fool decided to beat up some of our men just so he could get a meeting with me?”
Stanley looked behind him and clicked his fingers. Then two large men stood by a certain individual’s side as they walked a particular person in.
A man with dark hair that swept over his face. He was quite muscular and from the way he was standing and the expression on his face, it didn't look like somone who had just been captured by one of the top gang's in the world.
“My name is Raven,” the man stated. “And I want to talk to you about the Howlers.”