Chapter 5: A Birthday, A Promise, and a Glimpse of the Future

Chapter 5 - A Birthday, A Promise, and a Glimpse of the Future"What are you doing?" a boy, about six years old and holding a football, asked Fatih when he saw him methodically moving his neck from side to side. "I'm exercising," Fatih responded, not pausing. He glanced at the mental overlay from his System, which showed his neck training at 85% completion. "Wanna join us? We're missing a person for our team," the boy offered. "Sure," Fatih agreed. Immediately, a notification popped up in his vision: [Neck Training (Complete)]. A small smile touched his lips. "I'm Emir," the boy said, bouncing with energy as he led the way towards the football pitch in the park. "What's your name?" "Fatih," he replied, quickening his pace to keep up with Emir's longer strides and enthusiastic speed. "When did you move in? I haven't seen you around before." "I've lived here all along," Fatih explained. "I just hadn't come to the park much." He wondered if their current pace would contribute at least ten percent to his endurance training for the day. "Guys!" Emir announced as they reached the fenced-off pitch. "This is Fatih, and he'll be playing on my team!" With the teams now even at five players each, and after quick introductions, the game started. Thanks to his Catlex (Good) ability, Fatih found himself to be a surprisingly adept goalkeeper, his reflexes sharp. Throughout the game, Güldane, Fatih's grandmother, watched from a nearby gazebo with a warm smile. She was happy he had finally made friends. She'd been a bit puzzled when he first started asking to come to the park only to do strange exercises by himself, but now, seeing him playing football so enthusiastically, her earlier concerns vanished. With Emir now a friend, Fatih had more freedom to visit the park. Emir would often come to pick him up, or Fatih would wait for his grandmother to finish her chores (helping as much as his small body allowed) before they went together. This new routine allowed him to earn his daily SP while also enjoying playtime with Emir, especially when Emir was back from school—which Fatih himself was expected to start when he turned six. Time passed quickly, and before long, the much-anticipated day arrived: May 16, 2008. His fifth birthday. His mother, Rümeysa, had returned from Germany on Wednesday, two days prior, and had rested up. Fatih took a moment to check his System status: [Name: FATIH YILDIRIM] [Gender: Male] [Age: 5] [Date of Birth: May 16, 2003] [Abilities: Invictus (Ultimate), Simulation (Single Purchase), Mentor (Single Purchase), Sponge Brain (Good), Sponge Body (Good), Catlex (Good), Zone (Good)] [System Points: 840] [Evaluation: A youngling performing basic conditioning in preparation for his first drive. Yet to truly start his journey, but diligently building the perfect foundation.] A satisfied smile spread across his face as he looked at the amount of SP he had managed to collect. His initial 500 SP reserve had decreased to 475 after spending 20 SP to unlock the Silverstone circuit in the Simulation and an additional 5 SP on miscellaneous virtual items like notebooks and basic supplies. He had then earned 365 SP from completing his daily mission every single day over the past year. (If he completed today's exercises, that annual earning would actually be 366 SP, as 2008 was a leap year.) "If I keep this up," he thought to himself, "I should be able to upgrade an ability every four years or so, or buy a new one every couple of years." He closed the System screen, his eyes refocusing on the world outside the car window. The 2005 Chrysler Town & Country was being driven by his mother, with his grandmother in the front passenger seat. Fatih was securely strapped into the middle seat in the rear. "I've looked into karts quite a bit over the past two years and learned a lot," Rümeysa said, her eyes meeting his in the rearview mirror. "For your first kart, we're going to buy a used one. You'll outgrow it quickly, and you'll need a different one if you want to participate in proper competitions later. So, we'll pick out the kart after we get you all the other equipment, okay?" To her slight surprise—or perhaps, as she expected—Fatih didn't throw a tantrum about wanting a new one. He just gave her a thumbs-up, the excitement on his face undiminished. ... "Welcome! How can I help you?" a shop worker greeted them warmly as they entered the karting store. "Wooooow," Fatih breathed, his eyes wide as he took in the sight. Bare kart chassis of different categories hung on the walls like metallic skeletons, and shelves were packed with colorful gear. "Thank you," Rümeysa replied. "We're here to buy him racing equipment. We need a CIK-FIA Level 1 certified racing suit, a Snell K2005 certified helmet, karting gloves, racing shoes, a neck brace, and a rib protector." She recited the list as if she had memorized it, gesturing towards Fatih, who was already captivated by the karts on display. The worker listened attentively. "We have all of those available," she said with a smile, then looked at Fatih. "What's his name?" "Fatih," Rümeysa answered. Fatih's attention snapped back to them, and his mother beckoned him over with a wave of her hand. "Nice to meet you, Fatih," the worker said, crouching down slightly to his eye level and extending her hand. "Nice to meet you too," Fatih replied, shaking her hand politely. "He's very respectful," the worker commented, glancing up at Rümeysa and Güldane, who were watching the interaction with pleased expressions. "First, let's get your measurements and find you the right equipment." She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him towards the measuring area. Once his measurements were taken and the worker had gone to gather the items for him to try on, Fatih looked pleadingly at his mother. "Can I look around?" "Be careful and don't cause any trouble," Rümeysa said, granting permission. She had yet to see him cause any real trouble when she gave him such instructions. "Thank you!" he said excitedly, giving her a quick hug before darting off to explore the massive shop, his eyes searching for fully assembled go-karts. And there it was. A sleek, aggressive-looking machine sat on a raised platform, gleaming under the shop lights as if it were a show car. "That's a KF1 class kart," Apollo's voice echoed in his mind. Knowing he didn't have much time before he'd be called back, Fatih walked straight to it and reached out to touch one of its slick tires. As if prompted, the System immediately asked: [Would you like to register this vehicle? (First vehicle registration is free)] [Yes] [No] Without a second thought, he mentally clicked [Yes]. [Vehicle Registered! KART_KF1_2008_BASILINE_001 added to Simulation.] He felt a thrill that the registration was free, saving him 100 SP. He immediately opened his Simulation ability interface. [Simulation] Registered Vehicles (1/2):  > KART_KF1_2008_BASILINE_001 He clicked on the highlighted name, and the detailed description appeared, just as he'd hoped. [KART_KF1_2008_BASILINE_001] -------------------------------------------------- VEHICLE ID: KART_KF1_2008_BASILINE_001 CLASS: CIK-FIA KF1 (2008 Homologation Era) STATUS: Ready for Simulation -------------------------------------------------- [CHASSIS SPECIFICATIONS]  > Type: High-Performance, Direct-Drive Kart Chassis (CIK-FIA KF1 Homologated) > Material: Chromoly Steel Alloy Tubing (Typical Diameter: 30mm/32mm) > Wheelbase (Est.): ~1040mm - 1050mm > Adjustability: - Front Geometry: Caster, Camber, Toe-in/Toe-out - Ride Height: Front & Rear - Track Width: Front & Rear - Rear Axle: Interchangeable (Varying Stiffness) - Torsion Bars: Front (Standard), Side/Rear (Optional/Tunable) > Bodywork: CIK-FIA KF1 Homologated Aerodynamic Package (2008 Specification) - Includes: Nassau Panel, Front Spoiler, Side Pods, Rear Protection System [ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS]  > Model Designation: Generic KF1-Spec Power Unit (Representative of 2008 Homologation) > Type: 125cc, 2-Stroke, Single Cylinder, Water-Cooled, Reed Valve Induction > Max Power (Est.): ~35-38 HP @ ~13,000-14,500 RPM > Max RPM (Est.): ~16,000 RPM (Regulated Limit May Apply) > Carburetion: Homologated Diaphragm Type > Cooling: Water-cooled via external radiator & belt-driven water pump > Exhaust: Homologated Tuned Expansion Chamber [DRIVETRAIN & STARTING SYSTEM]  > Drive Type: Direct Drive (Chain to Rear Axle) > Clutch: Centrifugal, Onboard (Engages/Disengages at low RPM) > Starter: Onboard Electric Starter Motor > Power Source (Starter): Onboard Battery Pack [BRAKING SYSTEM]  > Type: Hydraulic Disc Brakes > Configuration: - Front: Dual Discs (One per wheel), Hand-Operated or Pedal-Operated (Configuration Dependent) - Rear: Single Disc (Axle Mounted), Pedal-Operated > Bias Control: Driver-Adjustable Front/Rear Brake Bias [TIRES - DEFAULT LOADOUT]  > Type: High-Grip Racing Slicks > Compound: Soft (Optimized for Maximum Grip, Moderate Wear Rate) > Size (Est.): - Front: 10x4.50-5 - Rear: 11x7.10-5 > Note: Tire model and compound can be modified within Simulation parameters using SP. Searᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [PERFORMANCE METRICS - SIMULATED BASELINE]  > Acceleration (0-60 mph / 0-100 km/h Est.): ~3.5 - 4.5 seconds (Surface/Gearing Dependent) > Top Speed (Track Dependent Est.): ~85-95 mph / ~137-153 km/h > Cornering Capability: Extreme Lateral G-Force Generation (>2.5 G) > Handling Profile: Highly Responsive, Physically Demanding, Requires Precision Input. [SYSTEM NOTES / QUIRKS] > The KF-era engine includes an integrated electric starter and clutch system, adding weight and complexity compared to later OK-generation karts. Battery management and starter system reliability were notable characteristics of this formula. -------------------------------------------------- [SIMULATION OPTIONS]  > [DRIVE]  > [SETUP & TUNING]  > [COMPONENT SWAP] --------------------------------------------------