Captains! Update B11.7 will be released on the night of June 11th to 12th.
​
Game Availability
We have made contact with new providers to increase the client's availability to all corners of the world. We hope that there will no longer be any "Update failed" errors. However, if you had errors updating - you again will have to download the archive with the new launcher.
Globalisation
Times displayed in the game, including attack windows for PBs, will be displayed either in the server's time zone or local time zone, depending on the choice located in the settings. We also expanded the choice of currencies for purchasing coins, and expanded the amount of countries for payment processing.
Bounty Board
We were greatly inspired by events organised by the community which revolved around hunting for rewards. And we have decided to add an experimental "Bounty board", which can be opened through the tavern.
The Bounty board is a place where you can place a bounty on a specific player, or on an entire guild. For now this is a test in which coins are the only currency: the client sets the price, and the bounty hunter receives coins minus the comission fee. Sinking allies will not be counted.
Other Changes

• Tenders are coming back to the game;
• Rewards will be increased for sinking players with black marks. We have also made changes to better protect the new players;
• Updated rewards in chests: duplicate ships will be able to be dropped if all are collected; random bow figureheads and designs will now be dropped, and not be predetermined; added random designs, ship paint schemes, sail cloths;
• updated existing item positions (for example, removed powder) and added new ones;
• Small changes and improvements to ship models and textures.

Fixes

• Fixed many minor bugs to make the gameplay process more comfortable, including: interface, localisation, graphical, upgrades, boarding and the gameplay process.
• Important fix: After (empire) port reset, protection would not apply and declared wars would not disappear;
• If you have two or more identical ships, they will have different auto-replenishment lists;
• The skill "Donor" would not work on players;
• Fixed PB statistics calculation errors and duplication in the list;
• Peace flags were not able to be picked even with the peace treaty, when there were active marks;
• The restriction on exiting ports near a lighthouse was active during the battle window at 24-hour ports;
• Bots would crash into towers;
• In all villages and settlements the goods on sale were identical;
• Ships passing behind with transparent sails made the ships in front invisible;
• Players in the blacklist will no longer be able to send friend requests.

6 months of the roadmap! Further plans At the beginning of the year 2022 we started working in accordance with the published roadmap: (pastebin link will be made soon) We are happy to announce that our work is going almost hand in hand with the announced plans and timeframes, and also, we added new developers to our team. In the near future we will release an updated roadmap to clarify the timeframes for adding new content and the project's development. Good luck at the sea and have a good time!

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/K7ROSor
Benchmade Mini-Griptilian SV: $70 $63 shipped (CONUS)
Pics/Vid: https://imgur.com/a/0qKmTZg
• Has 154CM blade (partially serrated with black finish)
• Never disassembled by me
• Blade is centered, and action is ok
• Sharp, not razor sharp
• Clip has a lot of wear from being carried
• Blade has some scratches on either side and the black finish has started to wear in a few places
• Both scales were also marked with an “X” using, I assume, a box cutter near the bottom of the axis lock (how the store marked it as a non-returnable garage sale item)
• Carried and used lightly by me for a few months
• No Box or baggie

Timestamp: https://i.imgur.com/hidqg0G.jpg
Dibs gets the item, PM if you wanna negotiate. I may take some time to respond to see if anyone calls dibs at full price though.
Dibs the item and then PM me with how you would like to pay. PayPal F&F, Venmo F&F, or Cashapp.
CLICK HERE TO PM ME: https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=rup_pup
USED Vortex Razor Gen 2 (Non-E) 1-6 BDC Reticle
SV-3 Throw Lever
https://vortexoptics.com/switchview-throw-lever-sv-3-2022.html
Precision Extended Cantilever Mount 30 mm
https://vortexoptics.com/precision-extended-cantilever-mount-30-mm-2022.html
$1000 shipped for the lot. You can see salt as pictured. Overall in good shape. No box.
https://imgur.com/a/sCjISk0
Used Faxon 12" 8.6 BLK Barrel Set-up
12" 8.6 Barrel 1:3 Twist Gunner Profile
https://faxonfirearms.com/faxon-duty-series-12-big-gunner-8-6-blackout-pistol-length-4150-nitride-ar-10-barrel/
Gas Block and Tube
https://faxonfirearms.com/faxon-gas-block-ar-10-height-3-screw-qpq-875/
Q 8.6 Cherry Bomb
https://liveqordie.com/8-6-blk-cherry-bomb/
Superlative Arms .875" Adjustable Gas Block, Bleed Off - Solid, Set Screw - Melonite Finish
https://suparms.com/products/875-adjustable-gas-block-bleed-off-solid-melonited
$300 for the whole set-up with the extra GB.
https://imgur.com/a/w18SMHH
Please also see my previous listing here:
https://www.reddit.com/GunAccessoriesForSale/comments/13rsnft/wts_colt_mpc_marked_bolts_sig_flash_hiderfolding/
Trades needed/wanted:
Wide Angle <= 24mm Sony FE Lens
CLICK HERE TO PM ME: https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=rup_pup

Read Chapter 29 Here: https://www.reddit.com/saw/comments/1417n7j/legacy_from_the_book_of_saw_chapter_29_wristdeep/
____________________________________________
*** CHAPTER 30 **\*
As Daniel is brought into the control room, his eyes widen at the sight of the bustling tech team huddled around a computer terminal, engrossed in their work. The ethereal glow of multiple screens illuminates their focused faces, while a tangled web of cables drape across the tabletop.
But what truly captured Daniel's attention was the meticulously detailed layout of the museum displayed before the team. The blueprint, marked with distinct security zones and strategic points, sprawled across the surface. Each section was carefully annotated, indicating cameras, alarm systems, trap locations, and other crucial information.
Time passes sluggishly, with tension hanging in the air for what feels like an eternity. The tech team painstakingly maneuvers through digital obstacles, their nimble fingers dancing across the keyboard, determined to breach the formidable firewall guarding the museum's security feed. Finally, success flashes across their faces as they gain access to the coveted treasure trove of footage.
The computer springs to life, displaying a mosaic of individual camera feeds. Daniel’s gaze darts across the screen, observing the technician skillfully navigating through the labyrinth of lenses. Each camera reveals different corners of the museum. His heart races as he witnesses the victims, trapped and vulnerable, captured by the unblinking eyes of the cameras.
Just as the tension reaches its zenith, the door swings open and Lincoln strides into the room.
Aware of the team’s crucial task, Lincoln breaks the silence, “Any progress?” he queries.
A spark of adrenaline ignites in Marlow’s eyes, “We just got it,” he exclaims, unable to contain his elation.
Lincoln’s footsteps echo softly as he circles the table, his eyes fixated on the monitor, and together they notice Gavin sitting on the cold floor, his posture guarded, clutching the box tightly against his side.
Marlow, furrowing his brow, spoke with concern, “That’s strange,” he murmurs.
Curiosity piqued, Lincoln redirects his attention towards Marlow, eager to uncover the cause of his colleague’s unease, “What is it?”
Marlow, delving into the depths of the internal code, sifts through the virtual layers with a sense of urgency. A realization dawns upon him as he unearths an unexpected anomaly. “This shouldn’t be here,” he stated.
Puzzled, Lincoln seeks clarification, “What’s the problem?”
With his eyes fixated on the screen, Marlow reveals the unsettling discovery, “There’s a duel broadcast,” he discloses.
As the significance of Marlow’s revelation sinks in, Lincoln’s gaze narrows, honing in on the critical detail before him. The digital feed displays a timer, ominously counting down from a daunting forty minutes. A sense of urgency permeates his words, “Is it live?”
Marlow focuses on Lincoln, “Yes, but, I need to establish a barrier to block Hoffman out and prevent him from regaining control.”
"Good. Do it. Let me know when it's done." Lincoln said.
Leaving the room behind, Lincoln stepped outside and spotted Agent Kullen with a squad member. Several entrances had been cleared of traps, and the dismantled weapons and explosives were being carefully transported to the rear of a SWAT van.
“We’ve got access to the security feed," Lincoln said, "The survivors are still alive.”
A sense of relief filled Kullen’s words, “Where are they being held?”
“You were right, new construction.” Lincoln confirmed.
Kullen looks over his shoulder towards the expansion area, "We’re still disabling those traps."
"One more thing," Lincoln said, "I didn’t see Logan and Elanor, but Gavin Beck is inside, and he's injured. Can't tell how bad…."
Swiftly responding to the update, Kullen activated his radio and relayed the crucial information, his voice urgent, “Attention, we’ve located three victims. One of them is injured. Requesting ambulances to move to the front immediately and prepare for emergency evacuation.”
Attempting to maintain composure amidst the escalating situation, Kullen addressed Lincoln, “Stay positive, Detective,” he said, his hand trembling, “I just got off the phone with Zeke Banks. He’s on his way. What about Hoffman and Schenk?”
Surprised by the mention of Zeke’s impending arrival, Lincoln inquired, "Zeke is coming here?"
Before Kullen could respond, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of movement. Across the caution tape, news reporters scurried about, positioning themselves in front of their cameras, a sense of urgency driving their actions.
“What’s going on?” Kullen muttered to himself.
Together, Lincoln and Kullen maneuvered their way toward the journalist, their curiosity triggered by the unfolding scene.
“We’re outside of the National History Museum, where we can now confirm the presence of three survivors trapped within,” the reporters voice resonated through the airwaves, “Gavin Beck, Sarah Harper, and Renee Walsh have become the latest victims in the harrowing saga of the Jigsaw Killer, whose reign of terror has plagued our city for over a decade.”
A sharp pang of shame pierced Lincoln’s core upon hearing the reporter's words, the weight of responsibility pressing heavily upon him.
“But now, for the very first time, we possess live footage capturing the game as it unfolds,” the reporter continued, a hint of excitement in their tone. “The following footage has been extracted from the security cameras situated within the building behind me.”
Stunned by the unfolding revelation, Agent Kullen broke through the caution tape and stepped purposefully in front of the camera, his intention clear - to put an end to the broadcast.
“What do you think you’re doing?” the angered correspondent demanded, her voice beaming with frustration.
Kullen fixed a stern gaze upon the woman, his tone firm, “How did you obtain this footage?”
“It’s all over the internet!” She explains, “The whole trap is being shared online.”
Audiences across the country were turning into the live feed.
As their televisions faded to black, a message materialized: Viewer Discretion is Advised.
Meanwhile, growing tired of Elanor’s desperate cries for help, Hoffman maneuvered her away from Logan, who remained unconscious, and wheeled her into the surveillance room. Pushing her into a corner, he retrieved duct tape from a nearby drawer and used his knife to slice off a substantial length. He then applied it firmly over Elanor’s mouth, muffling her anguished wails that now fell upon deaf ears. Just as Hoffman prepared to depart, his attention was captured by the television, revealing the live footage of the ongoing trap.
Intrigued, Hoffman placed his knife down and took a seat at the nearby table. Folding his arms, he watched intently as Gavin struggled to remove the weighty sandbag from his chest.
“What the fuck?” Amanda exclaimed, seated behind Hoffman, her astonishment, mirroring his own.
Outside the surveillance room, Logan began to regain consciousness. As his awareness sharpened, he quickly assessed his surroundings and searched for Elanor. Shifting his body upward, he felt the tight restraints of the handcuffs encircling his wrists. Peering into the surveillance room, he caught sight of Elanor in distress, while Hoffman remained fixated on the television screen. A wave of relief washes over Logan, knowing that she was still alive. Determined to find a means of escape, his gaze scanned the room until it landed on the aluminum dispenser above him, along with scattered barrels of petroleum.
Across town, Autumn had finished gathering her belongings when she too caught sight of the live footage showcasing the museum trap. Recognizing two of the victims, and recalling the information she had learned from Lincoln about their previous trials, she became engrossed in the broadcast. Setting her bag down, she stood near the couch, locked into the unfolding events, with a police escort standing beside her.
As Autumn remained captivated by the live feed, she witnesses Gavin rise to his feet and stagger toward the women, his movements unsteady. In his approach, he picked up a brick from the tower, clutching it tightly in his hand.
Within the confines of the exhibit, Gavin positioned himself behind Renee and Sarah, observing their relentless efforts to assault the grate obstructing the ventilation shaft. Sarah turned around, and Gavin extended the brick towards her. With determined force, another powerful strike landed, causing one of the bolts to come loose. They repeated the action, gradually peeling the barrier away from the wall, creating a narrow gap. Utilizing their combined strength, they exerted enough force to retract the screen, bending the screws on the left side.
Gavin retrieved another brick from the tower and rejoined the women. Gripping the red brick firmly, his palms began to perspire, a symbol of his mounting apprehension.
“Almost got it,” Renee uttered, twisting and pulling the screen until it finally yielded, breaking off the hinges.
Exhausted, Renee leaned backward, allowing Sarah to be the first to peer inside.
Gavin takes a deep breath, loosening his grip on the stone, anxiously awaiting the reveal.
Sarah sighed, disappointment tainting her voice. The shaft lay before them, outlined with menacing barbed wire and shards of broken glass.
“Told ya,” she said.
“We’ve made progress,” Renee exclaimed, still hopeful, “That’s what matters.”
Sarah’s eyebrows arched dubiously as she voiced her concerns, “We don’t know if that’s a way out and we’re running out of time.”
As Sarah turned to gauge Gavin’s perspective, her world abruptly shattered. A brutal impact from the brick collided with her head, causing blood to spill from the painful gash. She crumbled to the floor, disoriented and struggling to comprehend the sudden assault.
The unexpected violence filled Renee with fear and her mind raced frantically. Without wasting a moment, she launched an attack against him, but her weakened state rendered her efforts feeble. Gavin easily overpowered her, forcefully pushing her to the ground, her head meeting the unforgiving concrete with a sickening thud.
Meanwhile, the horrified audience watching from the safety of their homes bore witness to the unfolding events, their hearts gripped by the chilling spectacle. Each gruesome moment played out before their eyes.
Hoffman, displaying a disturbing apathy, seemed unaffected by the brutality taking place, while Elanor’s eyes bulged from their sockets, a silent plea for help and salvation.
Autumn, filled with disbelief and revulsion, found herself appalled by the heinous attack. Beside her, the police escort swiftly reached for his radio, urgently engaging in communication with law enforcement personnel on-site.
Inside the control room, Lincoln, Kullen, Marlow, and Daniel endured the torment of witnessing the disturbing footage. Their faces etched with concern as their minds raced to find a way to intervene and put an end to the nightmare.
With her stomach to the floor, Gavin straddles Sarah and removes the piano wire from his pocket.
Still dazed from the wicked blow to her head, Sarah fought with all her strength, desperate to free herself from Gavin's torment. She struggled to push him off her back, kicking and flailing while her screams for help filled the room.
Determined to succeed, Gavin attempted to wrap the piano wire around Sarah’s throat, but she instinctively blocked him, using her remaining hand to shield her vulnerable neck. In a surge of defiance, she reached back and delivered a forceful elbow strike to his abdomen. The pain coursed through him, causing him to drop the piano wire to the floor. However, he swiftly flipped her body over, sliding her wrist beneath his knees, effectively immobilizing her. With a frightening resolve, he resumed his vicious attack, tightening his grip around her throat, Desperately gasping for air, Sarah’s face grew increasingly red under the pressure of Gavin’s grip, and her vision began to blur, the world around her fading into a hazy abyss.
Unbeknownst to Gavin, a flicker of consciousness had returned to Renee, and the sound of Sarah’s harrowing struggle pierced through the fog of her own pain. With great effort, Renee attempted to rise, battling the throbbing ache in her head, her focus fixated on the weapon discarded by Gavin, lying on the floor within reach.
Seizing the piano wire with a surge of adrenaline, Renee quickly closed the distance to Gavin, her sole focus on saving Sarah. Without hesitation, she skillfully wrapped the cord around Gavin’s neck, forcefully pulling him away from her friend’s gasping form. Gavin’s hands thrashed about in a futile attempt to clutch the sturdy wire that tore into his flesh.
Sarah, still recovering and crawling to safety, watched in astonishment and awe as Renee took control of the situation. With a fierce determination fueled by anger and vengeance, Renee twisted and yanked on the cord, tightening the grip around Gavin’s neck, causing him to bleed profusely and struggle in agony. Beads of sweat formed on his head, his tongue protruding from his mouth in a grotesque display. His face contorted into a horrifying medley of colors-red, purple, and blue- as the life force drained from him.
Lost in a moment of unbridled rage, Renee’s primal scream pierced the air as she continued to tug on the cord, relentlessly severing his throat. Each pull intensified the macabre scene, painting the floor with a gruesome tapestry of blood. Sarah, a witness to the chilling brutality, could only watch in horror as Renee nearly detached Gavin’s head from his body, the lifeless body hanging limp on the wire.
A heavy silence settles over the room, punctuated only by the lingering presence of blood and the haunting memory of the violence that had just occurred.
The savage display captured by the security cameras spread like wildfire across the internet, captivating an audience of thousands. The harrowing footage was swiftly clipped and shared on numerous websites, causing the viewer count to skyrocket with each passing second. Reactions on social media were diverse, ranging from visceral disgust to arguments defending the act as self defense. The disturbing visuals ignited a storm of controversy, prompting a deluge of calls to flood news stations, with viewers expressing a myriad of complaints and concerns.
Feeling a wave of overwhelming emotions, Daniel emerged from the suffocating confines of the control room, his face flush with disgust.
Noticing Daniel’s distress, Lincoln approached with a sense of understanding. "You alright?"
"Just overwhelmed," Daniel replied, "Needed some air, some space to process it all."
Nodding in acknowledgment, Lincoln offered a small gesture of comfort, “I got some water in the car. Go on. Take a rest.”
Grateful, Daniel made his way towards the car, allowing himself a momentary escape from the relentless onslaught of darkness and despair.
***
TO BE CONTINUED...

Hey guys, I had some more bills come up and family comes first, so I really need these gone. They're all BNIB condition. Factory edges, stored in humidity controlled safe, first owner.
Thank you!
Timestamp and Photos
I NEED THESE GONE, all BNIB condition with original boxes, never cut or carried, literally purchased and put into safe for collection purposes.
Reasonable offers considered & if multiples are purchased take $10 off each knife
Heretic Knives Manticore X Bounty Hunter OTF AUTO 3.7" CPM-MagnaCut Battle Black Tanto Blade, Distressed Green Aluminum Handle with CamoCarbon Top - H031-8A-BOUNTY SV 575 OBO
Microtech 123-10BH Special Bounty Hunter Ultratech AUTO OTF Knife 3.46" Plain Tanto Blade, Green Apocalyptic Aluminum Handles SV 325 OBO sold to u/A_TalkingWalnut
Microtech Combat Troodon Warhound Black Tactical Standard Signature Series 219W-1TS SV 700 OBO
Microtech 119W-13S Ultratech Warhound - Black Handle - Bronze Blade - Signature Series SV 475 OBO
Microtech 119-13S Ultratech Hellhound - Black Handle - Bronze Blade - Signature Series SV 500 475 OBO
Microtech 719-10S UTX-85 Hellhound - Black Handle - Stonewashed Blade - Signature Series SV 350 325 OBO
Microtech 223-13AP Ultratech Spartan - Black Handle - Bronze Apocalyptic Blade SV 310 OBO
Microtech 230-13 UTX-85 Spartan - Black Handle - Bronze Blade SV 275 OBO
​
PLEASE READ
^{NO TRADES at this time. NO COMMENTS IN PAYPAL FF or I'll be forced to refund your money. SOME SERVICES BAN USERS FOR KNIFE MENTIONS.OP YOLOs instantly trump Chats/PMs.
Items are still available if not crossed out or marked as "SPF" (Sold Pending Funds.Please pay within one hour unless we make an arrangement, or the next person will get priority. I try to always be fair, but ultimately I reserve the right to sell to whomever I choose.Prices include tracked shipping to US only, ASAP Mon - Fri. All sales ship USPS, tracking provided in advance.
By dealing with me, you are stating you are of legal age to purchase & possess the items, & that the particular types are legal to own in your locality. For transactions $100+ I prefer user flair minimum of 1, but decided at my discretion. Thanks!}

Company Name	Title	City
Vital Smiles	General Dentist for Children	Bessemer
Lee Company	Plumbing Sales Consultant	Bryant
UniFirst	Route Service Supervisor- UniFirst	Decatur
Vital Smiles	General Dentist for Children	Fultondale
FRESENIUS	LPN (will train)	Madison
NaphCare	LPN	Montgomery
Harmon Scrap Metal LLC	Heavy Equipment Operator	Athens
Harmon Scrap Metal LLC	Roller Operator	Athens
US Navy	Electronics Engineer	Birmingham
US Navy	Bomb Technicial (EOD)	Birmingham
US Navy	Cryptologic Technician	Birmingham
Lakeview Estates	Resident Care Associate	Birmingham
Southern Health Partners	Lpn Weekend Nurse Days	Columbiana
Excel Interior Door, L.L.C.	Production Operator	Decatur
Harmon Scrap Metal LLC	Heavy Equipment Operator	Decatur
Excel Interior Door, L.L.C.	Production Operator	Hartselle
Excel Interior Door, L.L.C.	Ethanol Operator	Hartselle
Excel Interior Door, L.L.C.	General Machine Operator	Hartselle
Guitar Center	Guitar Center- Repair Tech- Urgent Hiring	Huntsville
Southern Health Partners	Rn Registered Nurse Days	Huntsville
Guitar Center	Guitar Center- Retail Shop Luthier	Huntsville
Freeman Webb Company	Leasing and Marketing Manager	Madison
Guitar Center	Luthier	Montgomery
Guitar Center	Musical Instrument Tuner and Repairer	Montgomery
BayMark Health Services	Nurse Practitioner (NP)	Oxford

Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in al. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!

Hello everyone,
After my last week's post a Wholesome rickshaw ride, a lot of you requested me to write about another experience I've had in the city, this particular one is about a big fancy convoy I saw in Bandra last week.
​
El gran convoy de Decepticons
I had just finished my weekly football game at Andrew’s, and I wanted to get myself some coffee. It was going to be a long night for me; I wanted to have a head start on the next week’s workload. I decided to walk, I always like to walk down the tiny streets of Bandra while the rest of Mumbai was busy doing their best impression of NYC or Singapore. This tiny part of Bandra was happy being a small village somewhere in the forgotten parts of Portugal with its narrow lanes, Quaint houses crowned with Terracotta tiles, giving them a rustic look. These houses were only separated from the street by a tiny compound wall and an old rusty gate, both of which have seen many layers of paint fade off, a mark of their unrewarding duty of guarding many generations, watching familiar faces move on to new horizons. That was their curse, They were destined to be there for as long as they could stand the test of time. The gate was armed only with a humble latch, a metal bar with a lever which was out of kilter with rest of the structure but fixed itself into a hole in the wall. The compound walls were draped in shrubbery, occasionally a branch of Bougainvillea or Jasmine would spill out over the rounded edges of the wall. However, the overwhelming beauty of the sight was just a masquerade, as underneath those pretty colours were exposed pieces of glass that would pierce through your skin if you were considering leaping over the wall into the compound. The ancient art of deceit is unparalled I thought to myself.
This little island stretching from Hill road till Linking road, is protected by high-rise buildings towering over it like Titans boasting their armors of concrete that are coated in glass, shiny lights & glamour. They are tasked with warding off any evils that may intend on harming the innocence of this Promised Land. Man, I love walking through these streets, each time I explore a new detail. Being a Sunday evening, a lot of windows were occupied and I’d frequently lock eyes with an empty stare from a dimly lit balcony or a laughing Pedro uncle leaning over the balcony, looking down on to the street whilst speaking to his friend in the ‘Gelf’. I felt like I was being watched, but I didn’t feel paranoid at all. I looked certainly out of place in my sporting gear as compared to the shirt sleeves, night gowns or stained Banyans of my onlookers. I felt like I was the boy representing the little town, marching back from a big show-down at the colosseum. I was not in a hurry to get my coffee and I was certainly counting my steps. Every once in a while I’d cross a kitchen window slightly ajar where I’d hear a cacophony of stainless steel utensils being handled with diligent urgency. I’d be greeted with a violent hiss coming from a pressure cooker that would fill my breath with the rustic smell of dal with a dash of turmeric or the earthy and crusty aroma of curry leaves dancing in hot oil, you could tell there’s Fish curry for dinner.
I stumbled upon a familiar sight. I had seen this house before, which meant I was almost arriving at my destination. I remembered because I read the time stamp on the house the first time I saw it, ‘1935’ it read, It was painted in a lighter caramel coat which you couldn’t discern without really squinting your eyes because it was masked by the hue of orange street lights in the dark. Lucky for me I’ve seen it many times in the day so I knew. The house had a large courtyard which was completely barren, but it was the only property which had trees inside it, the Villa itself had lots of windows. Every time you’d try to count the number of windows, you’d find yourself missing out on one and then repeat this fruitless activity from the start.
I reached the main road, and the subtlety of the sights I was enjoying started fading away. Down the entire stretch of the main road, there were shops, stores, street hawkers, and small cafes planted at regular intervals. It was time to put on my earphones. I walked past groups of people loudly talking to each other, some were pointing at one of the storefronts, some Hawkers arguing with their customers, “Aaj subeh hi fresh maal aya hain madam, Seedha export wala container se utha ke laya hain”. I played Bob Dylan on my phone to drown out the noise a little. I walked past a group of smartly dressed women preparing to walk into a café. One of them shouted, “What? This is a café? I thought we were really going to crack nuts, dude!” which caused everyone around her to laugh. I thought it was funny too but I was careful not to smile or give an impression that I was eaves-dropping. I get nervous around attractive women, I really do. Besides, I’m sure she wouldn’t enjoy Bob Dylan so there was no point in sticking my neck out.
My destination was right across the street, It was almost routine for me to visit Starbucks post a football game. Buying over-priced coffee is the easiest way to fit amongst the rich and the fancy types. Once you step inside and you have practiced everything you want to say to the Barista verbatim you blend right in. They know you’re one of them, I can’t even imagine being one of the folks who hold up the line not knowing what they want to order, or ask silly questions like what does Tall mean? Or Grande mean? Or Venti mean? They all mean the same dummy but the cup sizes differ, I hope they never change the menu, I’m worried I’ll blow my cover.
I entered the coffee shop which triggered the air curtain fixed above the carefully wiped glass door, The entire store was filled with the violent shriek of the mechanical whirring of the device, I drew some curious gazes that looked up from their books or laptops to enquire who had walked in as I got completely draped by the cold air gushing down on me, I do it all the time too, I always look up to see who has walked in. What if it’s a famous person or a runaway bride or a widowed man with his toddler? I stayed back for a bit, fanning my shirt, subtly announcing that I had come back from some heavy sporting activity and that this is not even an event for me but merely a routine. I was not startled by the attention I drew because I was well-versed with my routine once I stepped up to order. It all went so smooth, I narrated my order word for word with careful and timely pauses so that the Barista and the person behind me carefully registered everything I wanted in my drink. I imagined the person behind me thinking “wow, he knows his coffee”. By the time I was done with the payments they called out my carefully crafted order and my name in a fancy accent signaling that the coffee was ready to be served, “ A grande white mocha, with almond milk and hazelnut, no whipped cream, for AK” Man, I love capitalism. It’s so efficient , they even drew a tiny heart next to my name and now everyone knows that I’m very specific about my coffee. I walked out, barely holding back a smirk. I was preparing to cross the streets when the entire street got illuminated by a blanket of white light, I looked to enquire its source and the lights almost burned a hole in my corneas. The source of the light was a Mercedes G-Wagon, my dream car, Despite the blinding white light I could figure out the make of the car because I’ve obsessed over every little detail of the car. Then something unusual happened, the white lights dimmed and you could see the iconic three pointed star nested into the center of the chrome grille tucked away behind a caging of carbon fibre that give it an lustrous but muscular look, suddenly the white lights were replaced by Red & Blue flashing lights. I watched the mammoth vehicle close in to me a wide open jaw, It was a convoy! Who on earth is this rich that they have a car that I might not be able to afford even if I liquidated my entire property as a patrol car? This is ridiculous, I thought to myself. I waited eagerly to spot the vehicle that was being guarded, I finally caught a glimpse of it. A couple of more expensive patrol cars down the road, I saw a dark, phantom-like silhouette gliding towards me very rapidly. A dark entity carved out of obsidian, It seemed to have a sophisticated shape and yet I could discern almost nothing, It looked like a Lovecraftian beast being brought to life. Once it was close enough I met the piercing gaze of its headlights that spellbound me. They were rectangular in shape which made it look like a Cyborg, and they were glowing a shade of turquoise which I had never seen before. It felt like the march of the Decepticons upon the streets of Bandra. As this alluring figure evaded past me I caught a glimpse of a little detail, the spirit of ecstacy. I immediately knew this was the most expensive car in the world. The Rolls Royce Cullinan. As soon as the convoy moved past me, I looked around. Everything and everyone around me came to a stand-still to catch a glimpse of the Decepticons. I guess the car is so elegant that it comes with the in-built feature of halting space time. I immediately unlocked my phone to check the how much this majestic beauty would cost. So I typed in
Rolls…..
Royce….
Cullinan…..
Price in Mumbai……
On-road because I wanted to be practical ofcourse.
I almost dropped my phone when I saw the number that flashed before my eyes, I scoffed at the ridiculousness of it all. What could you possibly offer me for a price like that? So I did the next practical thing, I opened up the Sales brochure. They have seats crafted out of Carbon-fibre that are padded with hand-stitched leather, The seats have a massage feature that will ensure you always have a relaxed butt. This is unfair, I thought to myself while crossing the road. No one person should have access to this much luxury that they can get their butt massaged at all times. I bet the owner of that car has piles….. piles of money am I right? I laughed at my own silly joke and thought to myself that the attractive woman I saw outside of the café would have enjoyed this joke too. I hailed an Auto from there, sat down in this modest steam punk vehicle and started imagining what it would be like to be sitting inside that car. The auto drove past the same little streets I previously had walked across and then suddenly came to a halt. I looked up and I saw some Traffic officials holding up traffic. Before I could even try to rationalize what all this commotion was about there they were again, THE DECEPTICONS! I scoffed, All that wealth and money spent and I reached here before you in just a modest 23Rs/km ride whereas your car cost you a small town’s entire year’s GDP. The convoy was held up in traffic which means my ride was going to be held up too. Great! I thought to myself. The Cullinan had now pulled up right in front of me. When my auto driver commented, “Ye Ambani ji k.i Gaadi hain” What? The richest person in the country? Right in front of my eyes? Can he see me? I couldn’t see him because the windows were tinted pitch black to maintain privacy. I was in half a mind to run up to the car and beg for money to maintain the status quo, “Sir, please mera start-up fund karado, subeh se kuch nahi khaya.” Like a silly person I waved towards the car. Did he recognize me from before? He probably wasn’t even looking outside the window, he must be looking at some dapper presentation made by a IIM-A graduate on how India’s economy will shape up in the next 5-years. What if he did see me? Is he seeing me now? Can he see the Starbucks cup in my hand? Does he know I’m having a grande white mocha with almond milk and hazelnut, no whipped cream, for AK?

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🚀 Will Fronx drive Maruti Suzuki's market share to new heights? 📈
Maruti Suzuki's latest model, priced at 7.47 lakhs, has already made waves by selling a remarkable 8k units in just its first month. While some consider it slightly overpriced, it boldly competes head-to-head with the longstanding Tata Nexon. What gives Fronx the edge? Being a Maruti Suzuki, it inherits the legacy of reliability and long mileage, factors that hold great appeal for many buyers.
However, the tides are shifting, as safety takes center stage in consumers' minds. With Maruti Suzuki's safety record being a question mark, buyers are now weighing their options. Yet, Fronx shines in other areas. Enthusiasts particularly rave about its captivating rear design, which adds to its overall appeal.
Make no mistake, Fronx is a value-packed car, offering a host of features at an enticing price point. With this combination, it's poised to attract a considerable customer base and secure decent sales numbers. Make no mistake, Fronx is a value-packed car, offering a host of features at an enticing price point. With this combination, it's poised to attract a considerable customer base and secure decent sales numbers.

KENTA is underrated. That's it.
Final Battle 2005:

• KENTA (c) vs Low Ki for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship

KENTA's first appearance for ROH comes at the end of 2005 at one of their flagship shows, Final Battle. Now, nothing much is different from here to what happened in real life, with KENTA having a great match against one of ROH's best in Low Ki. The match would go on for 21 minutes, with KENTA knocking out Low Ki's chances of winning the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship, hitting him with a GTS to secure the pinfall and retaining his title.
Result: KENTA (c) def. Low Ki by pinfall to retain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (21:06)
Dissention 2006:

• KENTA (c) vs ??? for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship

KENTA would make his unannounced ROH return at Dissention, just six days after his hellacious battle with tag partner Naomichi Marufuji. He would come out to ring after the main event between Danielson and Styles to much fanfare, with the crowd chanting his name. He would then announce an open challenge for anyone in ROH. This call would be answered by none other than THE FALLEN ANGEL, CHRISTOPHER DANIELS!!! KENTA looks pleased with this challenge and shakes Daniels' hand before going to war. KENTA emerges on the front foot of the match, managing to ground Daniels with his technical skills before bringing him down with a Bridging Tiger Suplex that only got a 1 count. Daniels would gain momentum after this, and would stay in control for the next few minutes and even hitting a BME which KENTA managed to kick out of at 2. Daniels would keep on the offence but KENTA managed things around with a huge Busaiku Knee which only gave him a 2 count. KENTA would retain control for the rest of the match, bar one last gasp effort from Daniels who tried to sneak an Angel Wings on KENTA who already had it scouted and managed to reverse it into a Fireman's Carry before HITTING THE GTS! 1..2..3! KENTA RETAINS!!
Result: KENTA (c) def. Christopher Daniels by pinfall to retain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (19:31)
After the bout, KENTA's celebrations would prove to be short lived as RODERICK STRONG WOULD COME OUT AND CHALLENGE KENTA FOR THE GHC JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP!!! KENTA accepts this match as its made official for Arena Warfare.
Arena Warfare 2006:

• KENTA (c) vs Roderick Strong for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship

With the ROH fans fully embracing KENTA's presence in their company, he finds himself having to put down one of the biggest heels in the company. Strong comes to the ramp accompanied by his Generation Next teammates, but he decides he wants to do this on his own, wanting them to be fully prepared for their match later at CZW When 2 Worlds Collide. Strong manages to start the match off perfectly, gaining full control over KENTA and managing to weaken him down with his backbreakers. This overwheming offense to KENTA makes Strong feel a bit full of himself, and his cocky nature costs him the lead here as KENTA manages to reverse a Double Underhook Suplex, floating over and knocking Strong down with a Roundhouse Kick. KENTA would then begin to work on the head of Strong, dropping knees on it and planting him with a Fisherman's Buster for a 2. KENTA would continue to beat down Strong over the next few minutes before attempting a GTS which Strong manages to get out of and OUT OF NOWHERE HITS A SICK KICK!! 1..2..KICKOUT!!! WHERE DID STRONG PULL THAT ONE OUT OF?!! Strong and KENTA both end up out on the floor as the ref begins to count. Strong manages to make it to his feet before KENTA however, and uses this to his advantage as he begins chopping the chest off KENTA, leading him to the corner. Strong then places KENTA on the top rope and looks to hit A SUPERPLEX..STRONG ROLLS OVER INTO THE END OF HEARTACHE!!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! HOW DID KENTA KICK OUT?!! Strong is stunned as desperation begins to kick in. He calls for KENTA to get back to his feet, wanting to end the match as soon as he can. KENTA eventually does make it back to his feet as Strong goes for an OLYMPIC SLAM BUT KENTA THROWS HIM OVERBOARD!! Strong gets back to his feet and runs at KENTA WHO PICKS STRONG UP ON HIS SHOULDERS...GTS!! 1..2..3!! WHAT A BATTLE!!
Result: KENTA (c) def. Roderick Strong by pinfall to retain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (27:45)
Following this win, KENTA's celebrations would be interrupted again, this time by THE ROH WORLD CHAMPION BRYAN DANIELSON!! He tells KENTA that he's not a fan of exports taking his spotlight in main event matches when he's the one carrying the company on his back as their world champion. Danielson tells Kenta that if he wants to steal the show and be a main event star in ROH, he needs to run past him. KENTA then CHALLENGES DANIELSON FOR THE ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!! Danielson smirks at this as the fans begin chanting KENTA's name. Danielson's smirk quickly turns into a laugh, telling KENTA he hasn't done anything special enough to gain a title match. KENTA says he doesn't care, he wants a match. Danielson gives in and grants KENTA a match against him...AND SAMOA JOE?!! Joe comes to the ring and stands at Danielson's side. He appears to agree with what Danielson said and tells KENTA to stay in NOAH. KENTA says no to Joe's request and instead challenges both men to a tag team match at Best in the World and if he wins, he gets a ROH World Title match. Danielson is confused and tells KENTA's that he's got no-one to tag with, so how is he gonna beat him and Joe. KENTA tells him to just watch, as he leaves the ring, leaving the question as to who his tag partner is gonna be.
Best in the World 2006:

• KENTA and ??? vs Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe (If Kenta wins, he gets a ROH World Title match

Danielson and Joe make their way to the ring first, followed by KENTA who is on his own. Danielson and Joe are both confused, with Danielson asking where his teammate is. KENTA tells him to wait as the music hits... ITS NAOMICHI MARUFUJI!!! HES HERE IN ROH!! Danielson and Joe both look shocked as they know an all out war is going to go down with two of NOAH's best coming up against two of ROH's best. Nothing changes in this match compared to real life, with the match lasting just over 30 minutes and the team of KENTA and Marufuji taking the win here as KENTA hits Danielson with a GTS to gain a pinfall over the ROH World Champion, putting the odds in his favour for their confirmed upcoming bout, which will take place in 3 days at Supercard of Honor.
Result: KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji def. Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe (33:26)
Supercard of Honor 2006:

• KENTA vs Bryan Danielson (c) for the ROH World Championship

Coming into the match as the favourite here, KENTA finds himself in the biggest match of his career here as he has the opportunity to end the reign of Bryan Danielson here. Danielson is insistent on beating KENTA here, hitting him with stiff attacks that eventually lead to him getting busted open in the first few minutes. KENTA quickly realises that the Danielson he faced a few nights prior is not the same Danielson he's in the ring with now as the harsh offence continues. KENTA tries to take a breather on the outside but Danielson won't give him a moment of space, diving onto KENTA with a suicide dive as the champ is on fire. Danielson continues the offence on the outside, smashing KENTA's head into the ring post multiple times which only causes him to bleed more. The ref makes it to a count of 8 as Danielson decides to chuck him back in the ring for more punishment. KENTA tries crawling over to the other side as Danielson makes a fool out of him, pointing to him and laughing as Kenta struggles to get back to his feet. He eventually does as Danielson grabs him and starts hitting him with European Uppercuts. Danielson then throws KENTA into the ropes where he just goes over. Danielson almost looks embarrassed to be facing Kenta and mocks him as he exits the ring again. This time however, KENTA was playing possum and as Danielson went to attack KENTA, he got a fist full of ring post. Danielson tries shaking this off as KENTA gets revenge for earlier, smashing Danielson's skull into the same ring post, causing him to bleed. Danielson stumbles around the outside before rolling himself back in the ring as the ref's count gets closer and closer to 10. Kenta now has the upper hand over Danielson as he begins to hit him with kicks to any part of Danielson that's in his way. Danielson finds himself at the corner where KENTA doesn't stop, hitting Danielson with kicks to the chest. Danielson manages to catch KENTA's leg as he FLIPS HIM OVER INTO AN ANKLE LOCK!! KENTA tries escaping it but Danielson has it locked in tight. He does eventually manage to roll himself over, causing Danielson to go flying over into the 2nd rope. KENTA sees this and begins choking Danielson out, with the ref having to push KENTA out of the way. Danielson drops off the ropes, cluching his throat but KENTA doesn't care as he starts dropping knees onto Danielson's face. Danielson scurries under the bottom ropes as the tables have clearly turned. KENTA sees Danielson getting back to his feet and decides to do what any normal human would do and DIVE OVER THE TOP ROPE!! KENTA looks more than fired up here as he tosses a dazed Danielson back in the ring. It appears this match is coming to a close as KENTA picks Danielson up on his shoulders FOR A GTS..BUT DANIELSON ESCAPES AND HITS A REGAL-PLEX!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! Danielson looks at KENTA with a surprised look on his face, which quickly turns to delight as he realises he can inflict more damage. Danielson grabs the hands of KENTA, looking to pull him up, but quickly starts stomping down on his head. KENTA looks completely dazed by now as it appears one more big hit will put him out of commission. Danielson decides that enough is enough and attempts to lock in the Cattle Mutilation but KENTA DOESN'T ALLOW IT!! KENTA fights against Danielson's attempts and manages to get back to his feet before delivering an Arm Drag to Danielson. Danielson gets back to his feet and runs to KENTA who stops him dead in his tracks, picking him up FOR A BUCKLE BOMB!! Danielson bounces off the turnbuckle as KENTA runs the ropes.. BUSAIKU KNEE!! 1..2..KICKOUT!!! HOW ON EARTH?!! KENTA just sits in the ring, staring into nothingness with a look of disbelief at Danielson kicking out. KENTA starts getting mad and begins stomping the head of Danielson who is defenseless. KENTA then slowly picks Danielson up, with the intention of hitting a Falcon's Arrow, but Danielson manages to float over, hitting KENTA with a neckbreaker. Danielson stumbles back to his feet as KENTA finds his whereabouts again, with Danielson picking KENTA up on his shoulders and hitting him with a Rolling Fireman's Carry Slam. Danielson then launches at a seated KENTA with a huge dropkick that knocks him down. Danielson is feeling fired up at this point as HE LOCKS IN THE TRIANGLE CHOKE!! KENTA HAS NOWHERE TO GO!! DANIELSON ONLY MAKES IT WORSE WITH ELBOWS TO THE HEAD!! KENTA tries fighting out of it but Danielson has it locked in tight. WAIT..KENTA'S FADING!! The ref checks on him as he raises him arm up once. Nothing. Twice. Nothing. A third time...KENTA RESPONDS!! HE'S STILL IN THIS!! KENTA starts gaining elevation over Danielson as HE PICKS HIM UP ON HIS SHOULDERS...SITOUT POWERBOMB!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE FOR ONE OF THESE MEN TO STAY DOWN?!! Both men are grounded due to fatigue as the ref is forced to count. He makes it up to 6 with no response from either men. By the time he gets to 8, they find themselves pulling themselves up with the assistance of the ring ropes. They both make it to their feet before the 10 count as they stumble into each other in the middle of the ring. Danielson lands the first strike which causes KENTA to stumble but he returns the favour with a strike of his own. They continue doing this as Danielson gets booed with every strike and KENTA cheered with his. KENTA does get the upper hand here as he manages to get a powerful Roundhouse Kick on Danielson which knocks him into the ropes BUT DANIELSON RESPONDS WITH A BUSAIKU KNEE!!! HE STOLE KENTA'S MOVE!! BUT WAIT...KENTA ROLLS OVER!! HOW THE FUCK?!! HE PICKS UP DANIELSON...GTS!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! THIS IS NEVER GONNA END!! At this point, blood has stained the mat and the faces of both men, providing a mask to hide how they feel about this relentless brutality. KENTA is practically delirious as he somehow manages to make it to his feet. He calls for Danielson to get up as he looks to end this once and for all. He stands in the corner waiting, looking to hit that Busaiku Knee but Danielson doesn't move. KENTA is then forced to make his way over to Danielson to get him back to his feet BUT DANIELSON WAS PLAYING POSSUM THE WHOLE TIME AS HE LOCKS KENTA IN THE TRIANGLE CHOKE AGAIN!! DANIELSON WON'T STOP WITH THE ELBOWS AS THE REF IS FORCED TO CALL THE MATCH!!
Result: Bryan Danielson (c) def. KENTA by technical submission to retain the ROH World Championship (48:57)
Following the bout, Danielson would help KENTA back to his feet. He would then offer his hand out as a sign of respect and although hesistant at first, KENTA would shake it and raise Danielson's hand.
KENTA would then return to Japan after this, defending his GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship throughout the summer, before losing it to Takashi Sugiura at Northern Navigation. He would continue in Japan for a few more months before making his return to ROH at International Challenge.
International Challenge 2006:

• KENTA and Bryan Danielson vs Homicide and Nigel McGuinness

After his rivalry with McGuinness over the summer, Danielson's next rival would come in the form of Homicide. After beating him once at Motor City Madness, he looked to be finished with Danielson. That is until Dethroned, where after successfully retaining his title against Austin Aries, Danielson would be attacked by Homicide, who demanded a rematch. Danielson wasn't willing to give him the rematch however, leading to Homicide taking matters into his own hands and calling in backup in the form of McGuinness. Danielson would eventually accept a tag match between the two, promising a big surprise for his partner. At the event, KENTA would be revealed as Danielson's tag partner to a massive fan eruption. The two would prove to be great tag partners as over the span of 19 minutes, the two would put the beatdown on their opponents. KENTA would be the one to gain the win for the team, hitting McGuinness with a GTS.
Result: KENTA and Bryan Danielson def. Homicide and Nigel McGuinness by pinfall (19:34)
Following this win, Danielson would get on the mic and announce he doesn't have an opponent for Final Battle, so tells Homicide he can have his rematch. As for KENTA, he puts his sights on McGuinness, asking him for a match at Final Battle. McGuinness says he wants fresh meat and accepts KENTA's challenge, with a warning he won't come out of the match the same man.
Final Battle 2006:

• KENTA vs Nigel McGuinness

KENTA's immense popularity in ROH is voiced by the ROH fans as the Manhattan Center blows the roof off the building when he appears. McGuinness feeds into the crowd, disgracing them for cheering for an outsider rather than a man who's been there the past 2 years, wrestling at every show, hell, even being the greatest Pure Champion in history. The match doesn't have a definitive leader throughout, with both men not letting the other get the satisfaction of beating their opponent. McGuinness did appear to be on the upper hand however for a slight bit, but a Busaiku Knee changed the whole thing for him, despite getting the kickout at 2. KENTA would lead from this point on, with a GTS looking immanent, BUT MCGUINNESS MANAGES TO HIT A REBOUND LARIAT!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! McGuiness is furious as he drags KENTA's lifeless body to the corner. He prompts him up on the top turnbuckle, with the intention of a TOWER OF LONDON BUT KENTA FLIPS OVER MCGUINNESS AND PICKS HIM UP...GTS!! 1..2..3!!
Result: KENTA def. Nigel McGuinness by pinfall (29:08)
KENTA would make his presence felt in the main event, stopping Hernandez from interfering on behalf of Homicide. He would then remain firm in the corner of Danielson but it's not enough AS HOMICIDE ENDS DANIELSON'S 462 DAY TITLE REIGN!! WHAT A MOMENT IN ROH HERE!! Following this shocking loss, KENTA consoles Danielson, helping up and telling him it'll be okay. Danielson gets a standing ovation from the ROH crowd as KENTA begins to exit the ring to let Danielson have his moment but Danielson pulls him back in, wanting to celebrate with him. OR SO KENTA THOUGHT AS DANIELSON LOCKS HIM IN THE TRIANGLE CHOKE!!! Danielson starts screaming, saying its KENTA's fault he lost and it's nothing to do with him. Danielson lets go of the hold and goes to the outside, to under the ring, where he pulls out a steel chair. He then gets in the ring and places it ON KENTA'S LEG!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING DANIELSON?! Danielson stands on the second rope AND STOMPS DOWN ON THE CHAIR!! KENTA'S LEG IS DONE!! KENTA screams in pain as Danielson leaves him in the ring, embracing this newfound attitude.
KENTA would go out injured for 2 months, while Danielson's new vicious character would dominate ROH. KENTA's return would come at the Fifth Year Festival: NYC, after Danielson's victory over Takeshi Morishima. KENTA would attack Danielson, hitting him with a GTS before demanding a match, which is made official for the Fifth Year Festival in Chicago.
Fifth Year Festival: Chicago:

• KENTA vs Bryan Danielson II

A match which, despite having less stakes than last time round, will guarantee to be an all time classic. Danielson's newfound heel persona and KENTA's popularity among the fans mix well as Danielson's heel heat is like no other, with the fans' boos louder than his entrance music. The crowd can also be heard chanting "FUCK YOU DANIELSON", over and over as Danielson gives them the Stone Cold treatment. The match is an absolute war, lasting almost 50 minutes with Danielson managing to kick out of 3 GTS's and KENTA managing to last over 2 minutes in the Triangle Choke. These men throw absolutely everything at each other, with submission, kicks, punches, chops and everything inbetween but it would be the fourth GTS that would put Danielson down for good.
Result: KENTA def. Bryan Danielson by pinfall (49:32)
Following this, KENTA would ask anyone to give him a match at All Star Extravaganza III which would be answered by Chris Hero.
All Star Extravaganza III:

• KENTA vs Chris Hero

KENTA's climb to the top continues here as he finds himself facing one of the biggest rising stars in ROH. Hero would put up a good fight for one of the biggest stars in ROH here but it wouldn't be enough as a Busaiku Knee and GTS would be what ends the match, giving KENTA another win in his quest to the top.
Result: KENTA def. Chris Hero by pinfall (14:37)
KENTA isn't able to celebrate this victory however, as DANIELSON WOULD ATTACK HIM FROM BEHIND! Danielson would begin stomping on KENTA's head before announcing he wants one more match, FIGHT WITHOUT HONOR TOMORROW AT SUPERCARD OF HONOR!! KENTA is unable to respond as Danielson doesn't allow him but it's safe to say the match is official.
Supercard of Honor 2007:

• KENTA vs Bryan Danielson III in a Fight Without Honor Match

One year ago, these two men stood in the ring of the main event of Supercard of Honor with the biggest prize in the company on the line. Now, its a year later, a lot has changed, but what hasn't is the fact that both men find each other facing each other again in the main event of Supercard of Honor and despite there being no title on the line, the match feels more important than last year's. Under the stipulation of Fight Without Honor, both men absolutely tear at each other for 1 HOUR AND 6 MINUTES!! Whether it was Danielson stealing the Busaiku Knee TWICE, or KENTA hitting 3 GTS's in a row and Danielson kicking out, the Detroit crowd were absolutely fucking fed. Weapons also played a big part in this match, with Danielson smashing a steel chair over KENTA's head 10 times, causing him to be busted open, BUT KENTA RESPONDED WITH A BUSAIKU KNEE!! However, after one hour and six minutes, Danielson would lock in the Triangle Choke in the centre of the ring, with it looking like KENTA was going to pass out. HE DIDN'T HOWEVER, AND MANAGED TO POWER HIS WAY UP, PLACING DANIELSON ON HIS SHOULDERS FOR A 4TH GTS!! 1..2..3!! KENTA ENDS THE RIVALRY AND THE MATCH WITH A MASSIVE WIN!!
Result: KENTA def. Bryan Danielson by pinfall (1:06:44)
KENTA would make a brief return to Japan, before returning at Live in Osaka to announce his entry in the Race to the Top Tournament.
Race to the Top Tournament Night 1:

• KENTA vs Matt Sydal in a Round of 16 match

KENTA finds himself getting one of the worst draws possible in the tournament as he faces the previous favourite to win the tournament, Matt Sydal. Clearly the best match in the Round of 16, KENTA finds himself struggling in the beginning but gains control, carrying it throughout before sealing the win with a GTS, gaining his spot in the quarter finals.
Result: KENTA def. Matt Sydal by pinfall to advance to the quarter finals (12:10)
Race to the Top Tournament Night 2:

• KENTA vs Jack Evans in a Quarter Final match

Into the quarter finals we go, as KENTA finds himself facing Sydal's former teammate in Generation Next, Jack Evans. Evans manages to put up a hell of a fight in this match, even coming close to winning after hitting Kenta with a 630 Senton, but KENTA somehow managed to kick out at 2. In the end, it would be that dreaded GTS that would finish the match off, with KENTA pinning Evans for the 3 to make it to the semis.
Result: KENTA def. Jack Evans by pinfall to advance to the semi-finals (18:22)
​

• KENTA vs Davey Richards in a Semi Final match

The second match of KENTA's night comes in the form of Davey Richards, who has been on a warpath as of late alongside Roderick Strong as No Remorse Cops. Richards steamrolls through KENTA in the opening minutes of the match, with a spot in the final looking dead set for him. This would change midway through the match as KENTA would use Richards' aggression against him, allowing him to control the rest of the match before finishing it off with the GTS, MEANING KENTA'S GOING TO THE FINAL!!
Result: KENTA def. Davey Richards by pinfall to advance to the finals (15:43)
​

• KENTA vs Claudio Castagnoli in the Race to the Top Tournament Final

After already wrestling for half an hour, KENTA shows no signs of fatigue here as he is willing to lay it all on the line for a shot at Morishima's ROH World Championship. Castagnoli found a tough way to the final, having to make his way through El Generico, Kevin Steen and Mike Quackenbush. Castagnoli and KENTA provide a spectacle for the audience over the span of 28 minutes with a technical masterclass. Near falls appeared throughout the match, with the most significant being KENTA kicking out of Castagnoli's Ricola Bomb. To finish the match, Castagnoli looked set to finish the match of after a flurry of European Uppercuts. Castagnoli would then find himself waiting in the corner for KENTA to get back to his feet. He eventually does and throws KENTA up in the air for a SWISS DEATH BUT KENTA HITS CASTAGNOLI WITH A BUSAIKU KNEE!! Castagnoli stumbles back into the ropes and bounces right onto KENTA's shoulders for THE GTS!! 1..2..3!! KENTA'S GOT A ROH WORLD TITLE MATCH!!
Result: KENTA def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall to win the Race to the Top Final (28:16)
Death Before Dishonor Night 2:

• KENTA vs Takeshi Morishima (c) for the ROH World Championship

KENTA's rise to the top finds itself culminating here in the main event of Death Before Dishonor against fellow countryman Takeshi Morishima. Morishima is able to use his size to his advantage, overpowering KENTA in every way, displaying why he is a great champion. KENTA tries getting some offence in, kicking the champ's knees down to weaken him but this proves useless as Morishima delivers a knee to the gut which grounds KENTA. KENTA makes his way back up after this where he gets bombarded by chops from Morishima which causes him to back up into the ropes. KENTA tries to take a breather but finds himself getting tossed out of the ring by Morishima. KENTA regains his balance outside the ring as MORISHIMA COMES OUT WITH A SUICIDE DIVE!!! WHAT THE FUCK?!! Morishima then tosses KENTA back in the ring and begins to unload kicks into his back, causing KENTA to squirm into the corner. Morishima begins taunting at the booing crowd to rile them up even more as KENTA makes it back to his feet AS MORISHIMA DOES A CARTWHEEL INTO A HIP ATTACK!! KENTA is squashed as he falls forward into Morishima who picks him up for a uranage, only getting a 2 count. Morishima argues with the ref, calling it a 3 count but the ref confirms it was a 2. Morishima responds to this by kicking the head of KENTA in, before CLIMBING TO THE TOP ROPE!! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!! MORISHIMA GOES FOR THE MOONSAULT..BUT KENTA MANAGES TO DODGE IT!! MORISHIMA GETS BACK TO HIS FEET AS KENTA HITS A FISHERMAN BUSTER!! 1..KICKOUT!! HOW?! KENTA looks confused as Morishima begins to get back to his feet again. KENTA starts unloading Roundhouse Kicks onto Morishima but nothing's working as he just continues rising up. KENTA then decides to run the ropes for a BUSAIKU KNEE!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO KEEP THIS MAN MOUNTAIN DOWN?!! KENTA goes to the corner as MORISHIMA IS GETTING BACK UP ALREADY!! He signals to the crowd he's looking for another Busaiku Knee AS HE RUNS AND GETS CAUGHT BY A LARIAT FROM MORISHIMA!! KENTA GOES FLYING AS MORISHIMA GETS THE COVER 1..2..KICKOUT!! Morishima slams the mat as he tells the ref to count faster. KENTA gets to his knees as Morishima throws him between his legs and picks him up FOR A KNEELING POWERBOMB!! WAIT, HE FLIPS KENTA OVER AND GOES FOR A SECOND!! HE FLIPS HIM OVER AGAIN!! OH MY GOD!! A THIRD..WAIT..KENTA WITH A HURRICANRANA!! Morishima is sent flying as Kenta regains his balance. Morishima makes it to his feet as KENTA HITS A BUSAIKU KNEE!! HE'S NOT DONE AS HE HOISTS MORISHIMA UP ON HIS SHOULDERS...GTS!!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! KENTA ISN'T DONE AS HE PICKS MORISHIMA UP ON HIS SHOULDERS AGAIN..GTS..MORISHIMA LANDS ON HIS FEET!! HE TURNS KENTA AROUND..AMAZE IMPACT!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! HOW IS KENTA SURVIVING ALL THIS?!! Morishima has had enough of the referee by now and throws him out of the ring. He then walks over to KENTA WHO HITS HIM WITH A LOW BLOW!! The crowd cheers as KENTA looks shocked by what he's done. The crowd don't care and continue chanting KENTA's name. Morishima starts making it to his feet as KENTA HITS A BUSAIKU KNEE!! HE PICKS MORISHIMA UP..GTS!!! 1..2..3!! KENTA IS THE NEW ROH WORLD CHAMPION!!! OH MY GOD!!
Result: KENTA def. Takeshi Morishima (c) to win the ROH World Championship by pinfall (15:53)
Caged Rage 2007:

• KENTA (c) vs Brent Albright for the ROH World Championship

KENTA's first title defense would come at the next show, Caged Rage, where he would issue an open challenge, calling himself a fighting champion. This call would be answered by Brent Albright. Albright would launch at KENTA with punches but he no-sells them and begins beating down Albright. This newfound aggressive style of wrestling bodes well with the fans, who cheer for KENTA and his stiff strikes. Albright doesn't last long in this bout as after around seven minutes of being battered, KENTA puts the final blow in with the GTS, gaining the 3 count and retaining his title.
Result: Kenta (c) def. Brent Albright by pinfall to retain the ROH World Championship
KENTA would then ask for a better challenger, to which AUSTIN ARIES ANSWERS!! KENTA tells him he's on as the match is set for Manhattan Mayhem II.
Manhattan Mayhem II:

• Kenta (c) vs Austin Aries for the ROH World Championship

A former ROH World Champion himself, Aries how it feels to have the company on his shoulders and he plans to take that feeling back here against KENTA tonight. KENTA's attitude has clearly changed since winning the world title, becoming a more aggressive and brutal wrestler. KENTA puts Aries through hell in this match, beating the life out of the former champ. Aries would get a bit of steam in the match, even managing to hit a 450 on KENTA but it only gave him a 2 count. At the end of the bout, KENTA found himself picking Aries up on his shoulders for the GTS, BUT ARIES ESCAPES IT!! HE PICKS HIM UP..BRAINBUSTER!! BUT KENTA GETS BACK TO HIS FEET!! Aries looks in shock as KENTA screams at him before coming at him with stiff elbows. Aries would bounce off the rope and hit a elbow but KENTA doesn't even react as HE PICKS ARIES UP..GTS!! 1..2..3!
Result: KENTA (c) def. Austin Aries to retain the ROH World Championship
Motor City Madness 2007:

• KENTA (c) vs CIMA for the ROH World Championship

The battle of the capital letter names next, CIMA would prove to be the toughest fight yet for KENTA, due to his high flying ability and technical prowess which managed to keep KENTA down for a bit. CIMA would even find himself hitting both the Meteora and Crossfire but KENTA would kick out of both at 2. After 12 minutes though, it would be the GTS that would end the bout, with KENTA blasting CIMA's head off to retain the gold.
Result: KENTA (c) def. CIMA by pinfall to retain the ROH World Championship (12:18)
Following this, KENTA would call the ROH locker room boring and said if he didn't get a worthy opponent, he'd take the title back to Japan. This would prompt Jimmy Jacobs to come out, calling his shot for the title at Honor Nation.
Honor Nation 2007:

• KENTA (c) vs Jimmy Jacobs for the ROH World Championship

Double J (not Slapnuts) finds himself the next potential victim to KENTA's recent terrorisation of the ROH roster. Despite this aggressive nature that KENTA carries around with himself now, he still finds himself being cheered by the ROH crowd, although its not as big as at the start of the year leading up to his title win. KENTA allows Jacobs to hit him with some offence due to his boredom against his most recent opponents. Jacobs uses this to his advantage, taking control of the bout but it doesn't last long. Jacobs sends KENTA out of the ring, with the hopes of a suicide dive, but he fails and gets caught in the ropes. KENTA is displeased with this and starts getting mad at Jacobs, slapping him in the face and kicking him in the gut. KENTA starts laying into Jacobs with stronger offence, including a massive Powerbomb for a 2 count. Kenta starts getting bored of Jacobs and decides to finish it off with a GTS, gaining the 3 count and continuing his reign of dominance over ROH.
Result: KENTA (c) def. Jimmy Jacobs by pinfall to retain the ROH World Championship (13:26)
Following this win, KENTA takes the ROH World Championship over to Japan, defending it in NOAH against the likes of Bobby Fish, Ricky Marvin and even a rematch against Takeshi Morishima. Following his victory over Morishima, KENTA would challenge THE GHC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION MITSUHARU MISAWA TO A TITLE VS TITLE MATCH!! Misawa would accept this match, but he doesn't want the match in Japan. HE WANTS IT AT GLORY BY HONOR!! The match would be made official but it did leave confusion for the winner of the Survival of the Fittest, Chris Hero. It would then be decided that KENTA vs Hero would happen on Night 1, while Misawa vs KENTA would happen on Night 2.
Glory by Honor Night 1:

• KENTA (c) vs Chris Hero II for the ROH World Championship

Before KENTA can get to the match of his wishes, he first has to get past the winner of the 2007 Survival of the Fittest, Chris Hero. Hero has been on a tear recently, with the fans firmly getting behind him being the next ROH World Champion, even at the expense of KENTA. The fans are beginning to sour on KENTA at this point, with the cheers once received seeming like a myth at this point. KENTA notices these cheers for Hero and starts beating the shit out of him, grounding him in the corner before pointing at him, almost as if to berate the fans for thinking that Hero is the guy and not KENTA. KENTA would continue with these beatings on Hero, garnering boos from the crowd. KENTA then flips off the crowd, confirming his heel turn as he just won't stop beating Hero up. KENTA would then pick Hero up, looking for a Falcon's Arrow, but Hero would manage to float over KENTA and hit a big neckbreaker to give him control of the match. Hero would continue with this offence for a while, with KENTA unable to get a breakthrough in the match. Hero would even manage to hit the Rolling Elbow but it only gave him a 2 count. Hero wouldn't let go of control following this, managing to score more 2 counts with a Cradle Piledriver and a Hero's Welcome. At the end of the match, KENTA did manage to gain a bit of a comeuppance, even managing to hit a Fisherman's Buster which only got a 2 count. The finish however, would come with Hero in the corner, the fans cheering his name looking to hit the CYCLONE KILL..BUT KENTA DUCKS UNDER AND RUNS TO THE TURNBUCKLE!! HERO TURNS AROUND AND MEETS A BUSAIKU KNEE!! The fans cheers quickly become somber boos as KENTA picks Hero up FOR THE GTS!! 1..2..3!! KENTA RETAINS!! IT'S GONNA BE TITLE VS TITLE TOMORROW NIGHT!!
Result: KENTA (c) def. Chris Hero by pinfall to retain the ROH World Championship (19:27)
Glory by Honor Night 2:

• KENTA (c) vs Mitsuharu Misawa (c) for the ROH World Championship and the GHC Heavyweight Championship

To end off Night 2, we have two of Japan's best with the icon Misawa, who's title reign is bordering a year, and the current ROH World Champion KENTA who's been on an absolute tear recently, dominating his opponents. The match is borderline similar to the match they actually had bar a few changes. At the end of the match however, Misawa has KENTA right where he wants him as he looks for the EMERALD FLOSION...KENTA ESCAPES THOUGH...HE BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES AND HITS A BUSAIKU KNEE!! MISAWA IS KNOCKED DOWN AS KENTA BRINGS HIM BACK TO HIS FEET...GTS!!! 1..2..3!! KENTA IS A DOUBLE CHAMPION!! KENTA HAS ENDED MISAWA'S REIGN!! THE FANS ARE PISSED!!
Result: KENTA (c) def. Mitsuharu Misawa (c) to retain the ROH World Championship and win the GHC Heavyweight Championship
KENTA then announces himself as the best wrestler in the world and plans to take the ROH title to Japan at the end of the year and never return with it. He also mentions the fact he's never been pinned or submitted in ROH, with his only loss coming at a technicality. He then says there isn't a single man in ROH that can beat him for the title. And then the music hits...ITS SAMOA JOE!! HE'S BACK IN ROH!! Joe comes to the ring to a massive cheer, with the belief that he had left ROH permanently to go to TNA. Joe says KENTA is right and that there isn't a man in ROH that can beat him, BECAUSE IT'LL BE A TNA GUY INSTEAD!! Joe challenges KENTA to a match at Reckless Abandon to see who the real best in the world is.
In the meantime, KENTA would return to Japan to defend his newly won GHC Heavyweight Championship, beating Misawa in a rematch and stopping Jun Akiyama from avenging the loss, beating him in a 45 minute classic.
Reckless Abandon 2007:

• KENTA (c) vs Samoa Joe for the ROH World Championship

Definitely KENTA's biggest challenge yet, the greatest ROH World Champion ever returns home in an attempt to save the biggest prize in the company by taking it off the hands of KENTA, who's intentions to leave ROH at the end of the year with the World Championship are clear. Joe gets the advantage in the beginning, chopping the chest off KENTA and sticking some stiff hits to his skull. KENTA would turn the tides on Joe, hitting some stiff attacks himself, before grounding him with a Fisherman's Buster. The two would continue on with an evenly matched brutal showcase, exchanging control every few minutes while also hitting some big moves, including a Muscle Buster from Joe which KENTA managed to kick out of at 2. To end the match after 36 minutes, KENTA would find himself in a perfect situation after reversing a Uranage from Joe. Joe would become mad following this and run at KENTA who ducked under and ran the ropes himself before HITTING THE BUSAIKU KNEE!!! 1..2..3!! THE REIGN CONTINUES!!!
Result: KENTA (c) def. Samoa Joe by pinfall to retain the ROH World Championship (36:54)
KENTA then says the clock is ticking for someone to beat him, and if not, he's taking the ROH World Championship home. He asks for anyone to come out and challenge him for a match at Final Battle, and if not? Well, you know what'll happen. Kenta waits and waits, but gets no response. Just as he's about to call it quits though, NIGEL MCGUINNESS APPEARS!! HE'S NEXT FOR KENTA'S TITLE!! KENTA smirks as he knows a guy like McGuinness isn't gonna beat him for the title.
Final Battle 2007:

• KENTA (c) vs Nigel McGuinness II for the ROH World Championship

History finds itself repeating once again, as KENTA and McGuinness come face to face at Final Battle for the second successive year. Last time around, KENTA was one of the most loved stars in ROH, but now? He's public enemy number one. And if McGuinness doesn't win the title, they can kiss the title goodbye. McGuinness and KENTA lock up to begin the bout, with KENTA getting a headlock on McGuinness before performing a headlock takedown. McGuinness laughs as he gets back up, with KENTA laughing too. KENTA then pushes McGuinness which causes him to start unloading on him with strikes, causing him to back up into the corner. KENTA would then put his body through the ropes, preventing McGuinness from hitting him while taunting him to try and trigger a reaction. McGuinness does nothing however and waits for KENTA to get out of the ropes to continue his attacks. KENTA is sneaky about it though and as he gets back in, he ducks under McGuinness' attack and starts kicking the legs of McGuinness before delivering a Roundhouse Kick to the head, knocking McGuinness down for a 1 count. Kenta would return to the head again, keeping McGuinness in a headlock to prevent him getting back to his feet. This only works for so long as McGuinness manages to get back to his feet, tossing KENTA overboard. KENTA would then get back to his feet and charge at McGuinness who throws him around with arm drags before slamming him down with a Powerslam. McGuinness gets fired up as KENTA is on the downside here, with the fans cheering for McGuinness. McGuinness would then go the corner as KENTA gets back to his feet, which is when McGuiness goes for the JAWBREAKER LARIAT BUT KENTA DODGES!! McGuinness turns around AND GETS HIT WITH A BUSAIKU KNEE!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! A huge sigh of relief comes from the ROH fans as the title is safe. For now. KENTA is frustrated with this and begins to drop knees onto the head of McGuinness. This prompts McGuinness to sit up which allows KENTA to hit a stiff kick to the back. McGuinness rolls in pain and decides to take a breather by leaving the ring. KENTA laughs at McGuinness for this as he exits around the other side of the ring and runs around to meet McGuinness WHO HITS HIM WITH A RUNNING LARIAT!! McGuinness then picks up KENTA and throws him back in the ring where he covers him for a 2 count. McGuinness starts punching the head of KENTA which he is unable to block, causing him to be busted open. McGuinness stops to take a look at what he's done and has a grin on his face, with the fans chanting for him to not stop. McGuinness listens to them and brings KENTA to the corner where he starts laying into him with hits. He then places KENTA on the top turnbuckle and runs to the opposite corner before running back WITH A HUGE LARIAT!! KENTA slumps over as McGuinness sees his shot AND HITS THE TOWER OF LONDON!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! MCGUINNESS CAN'T BELIEVE IT!! The fans call out the ref, saying it should have been a 3 count, purely to take the title off KENTA. McGuinness then begins taunting to the crowd again in the corner as he calls for KENTA to get back to his feet. KENTA does eventually get back up as McGuinness tries again for the JAWBREAKER LARIAT BUT DOESN'T HIT IT AGAIN!! KENTA THROWS A BIG BOOT IN THE FACE OF MCGUINNESS WHICH ROCKS HIM!! KENTA then picks McGuinness up on his shoulders for a GTS BUT MCGUINNESS LANDS ON HIS FEET AND HITS KENTA WITH A CHOP TO THE THROAT!! KENTA clutches his throat as he backs up. McGuinness follows as KENTA hits him with another kick which causes him to bounce back into the ropes and hit KENTA with a lariat. KENTA doesn't go down with this, instead rocking back and hitting McGuinness with a simple slap. McGuinness gets pissed off as this and GOES FOR THE JAWBREAKER LARIAT AGAIN BUT KENTA DUCKS AGAIN AND HITS A QUICK SNAP GERMAN SUPLEX!! McGuinness rolls back as KENTA kicks him in the gut and picks him up on his shoulders for a BUCKLE BOMB!! MCGUINNESS BOUNCES OFF THE TURNBUCKLE AND ONTO THE SHOULDERS OF KENTA FOR A GTS!!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! KENTA is starting to get pissed off at McGuinness and LOCKS HIM IN THE STFU!! McGuinness crawls around trying to find an escape but he's trapped in the middle of the ring. KENTA keeps applying pressure but McGuinness is able to get his hand up and begins punching the head of KENTA again. KENTA is forced to release as he backs up to take a quick breather. When he turns around however, MCGUINNESS MEETS HIM WITH A JAWBREAKER LARIAT!!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! WHY WON'T KENTA STAY DOWN?!! McGuinness doesn't even wait for a second after the kickout, instead going straight to the LONDON DUNGEON!! KENTA HAS NOWHERE TO GO!! KENTA begins crawling BUT MCGUINNESS PULLS HIM RIGHT BACK TO THE CENTRE!! Over a minute goes by and KENTA is still in the submission, battered and bloodied in this war as he looks to be fading. That is until he gets one last burst of energy to scrape his way to the ropes, keeping himself in the match. McGuinness is done with this match though, and lines KENTA up for ANOTHER JAWBREAKER LARIAT!! HE'S NOT DONE AS HE PICKS KENTA UP..AND ANOTHER JAWBREAKER LARIAT!! McGuinness takes one more look at KENTA as he PICKS HIM UP AGAIN FOR A THIRD JAWBREAKER LARIAT!! 1..2..3!! NIGEL MCGUINNESS HAS PINNED KENTA!!! HE'S THE NEW ROH WORLD CHAMPION!!!
Result: Nigel McGuinness def. KENTA (c) by pinfall to win the ROH World Championship (31:46)
Epilogue:
This would mark the end of KENTA's ROH run, as he would would return to NOAH and remain dominant as GHC Heavyweight Champion until September of 2008, when he would lose the belt to Kensuke Sasaki. This would not be his final appearance in ROH however, as he would wrestle 2 more matches for the company, one in a win against Danielson during his farewell tour and his final match against Tyler Black which ended as a loss, putting a full stop on the ROH career of KENTA.
So, in the span of 2 years, KENTA went from the biggest babyface in ROH, before making his eventual rise to the top, winning the ROH Championship in a controversial fashion, which caused a new person to appear, a more ruthless and dominant man who threatened to take the title away from ROH to Japan, becoming the biggest heel in ROH in the process but luckily for ROH, on the last night of the year Captain McGuinness would come to the rescue and save the company and their main title, sending KENTA packing in the process.
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Note to self 93,
Made it back to the library. "A Tale of two cities" was still there waiting for me, thankfully (the beauty of having niche interests!). I moved on to the chapters speaking directly about the two case studies and copied the most interesting passages.
These were the most noteworthy parts on Kamābarha:

1. Kamābarha – Establishment and growth
Though there is still a certain degree of debate, scholars speculate that Kamābarha is the earliest of Arhada cities. It would be expected, considering its proximity to a great number of Middle Pottery sites and its strategic location at the intersection of the Great lake and the southern basin, offering opportunities for a higher degree of cultural interaction – which inevitably leads to cultural maturity.
Indeed, the rise of Kamābarha has left tangible markings in the archaeological record: the construction of Kamābarha III, the layer that first gives us some indication of a level of state control over the region (in the form of contract tablets and other material remains, symbolism associated with governance and a mature elite power, as well as the sheer size of its palace and granary) has been unanimously placed in the 6th century BD. For the purposes of this text, we are interested in understanding what the city looked like before and immediately after that date, in order to understand its peculiar character, as well as the ingredients that brought its success.

[...]

Kamābarha's wealth was chiefly in its copper reserves. The stretch of land between the Great lake and the southern Tritonean lakes, traversed by what the Arhada referred to as Green River, contained plentiful mineral deposits, ranging from pure copper, silver, and zinc-contaminated copper, otherwise known as "natural brass". This naturally occurring alloy was perhaps Kamābarha greatest export, although the metallurgical culture of Formative Tritonea was rather scant, and most uses for these metals were either decorative or for the production of cold-worked arrowheads. These items are found as far west as early Hortens sites and as far south as the Aluwa. They were either transported as fully formed arrowheads or as plates which were then worked locally by the importers. Within the confines of Kamābarha and its environs, however, we can find a higher ratio of copper artisanal goods and artistic objects than weapons: an indication of a lack of pressure to militarise. Brass is found on the decorations of Kamābarha's palace, in the form of mirrors, bracelets, jewellery. The oldest example of a painted copper plate – a typical Arhadan decorative items consisting of a flat copper surface covered on both sides with oil paint, was found in Kamābarha III. Chemical analyses confirm that what appears today as a simple oxidised copper disk was in fact coloured with bright pecan oil based paints.
That is not to say that the production of military gear, or, indeed, warfare, was inexistent. The dispersal of arrowheads along the north shore of the Great Lake gives us a clear indication that Kamābarha's influence was not based only on agricultural wealth or cultural influence: some amount of force was indeed employed in the creation of its political network.

[...]

2. Kamābarha –Internal Politics
Kamābarha's political structure was the natural evolution of the typical characters of pre-formative Arhada centres, as discussed earlier. At the top of the hierarchy were the "famous", as the nobility was known, and below was everyone else. Tracing the rise to power of the "famous" clans is no easy feat, but its clear that, through generations of wealth accumulation, a set of dynamics which allowed the flourishing of a restricted group of landowners culminated in a clear class divide between this group of hereditary leaders and the manpower contributing to their wealth.
At the time of Kamābarha III it seems like four or five clans shared the spaces of the palatial district, with the number dropping to three, either through the merger of two clans or the extinguishing of the families, in the 7th century. This has been suggested by the symbolism prevalent on funerary urns found within the site, with each clan being associated with a specific symbol: in early Kamābarha III we find the tortoise, the heron, the parrot, and two variations of the burning house motif – one flanked by two pecan trees, the other standing on its own. It's unknown whether the last two represented a single clan or two separate ones. As the period progressed, however, we find that later urns are only marked with heron, parrot and burning house logograms. These three clans probably included a great deal of people, between the matriarchs, the leaders and a third class of non-inheriting clan members.
Power was seemingly based on seniority, passing from the son of the eldest matriarch, who would hold leadership within the village, to the next; his second in line – either a brother or the son of the second-senior matriarch – would act as a representative. Note how power passes from the matriarchs, and not from the men themselves: it's the eldest mother that produces the city's leader, but that does not mean that the leader is necessarily the senior nobleman.

[...]

One aspect of this system that is currently under debate is whether the wealth of the four (later three) clans was pooled together or if they maintained some additional independent wealth: it would seem like that was the case. It is now believed that the Ibosso hadân (marriage vessel) was treated as a person's independent wealth: each clan would put the wealth of their Ibosso hadân together with the other members of their clan, but separate from the common wealth of the city; non-inheriting clan members would keep theirs separate shares. All other goods – the herds, the harvest from the paddies, and items produced by the clan for the treasury – were handled communally by the Council of the matriarchs and the two male leaders: the internal leader, or "First Leader", handling issues pertaining to the administration of the city at large, and an external one, a "Second Leader", whose duties involved diplomatic journeys to client villages and the collection of payments.

A diagram of power relations in Kamābarha, for reference. I was impressed by how mobile social classes were, even within such a hierarchical society. There's an entire chapter dedicated to this:

2.b Kamābarha –Lower Classes and social mobility
Overall, two other social classes were recognised aside from the members of the famous clans; the commoners and the clanless. The commoners formed the bulk of the population: there could have been anything between one and two hundred minor clans inhabiting Kamābarha, most of which were farmers and horticulturalists, but many of whom were moving towards specific arts and crafts as the quality of life increased due to the higher level food security provided by the state. The men of this social class would be called for military duty by the leadership in times of war – when the time came to exact payment by force from a client city, for example – but all evidence points to this being a rather rare occasion. Clans mostly contributed to the palace economy, in the form of corvée labour (wherein each clan had to provide a fixed number of workers for the paddy) or the production of specialised goods. Because of this, having a clan could prove to be expensive, and when those payments could not be met, clanhood would be revoked: this gave rise to the Clanless, a more generalistic group comprised of those without the means to provide work to the palace as an organised force as well as all prisoners of war, foreigners or recent immigrants that have not yet entered the social fabric of the city. These people worked the paddies in exchange for wages, paid in the form of zizania or tobacco, and would be the first group to which the most labour intensive jobs were assigned.
That is not to say that people statically belonged to one class or other; People of a famous clan could intermarry with commoners – this was somewhat rare, as the preference was to marry within one of the other famous families or with the upper class of the other cities, both client and independent. But in times of need, when there weren't suitable partners of the same generation, the Matriarchs who regulated upper class unions, could allow a commoner to enter their group. Another means of social betterment for commoners was being chosen as a favourite at the palace: when an artist or artisan – commonly a woman, but sometimes a man as well – was considered to be highly skilled by a member of the four inner clans, they could chose to sponsor them, sacrificing personal wealth to allow them to live at the palace, where they would continue their craft for the benefit of the palace's treasury. Within the palace, Favourites were then allowed to marry and reside until their death: their children, growing with the children of the famous clans, often grew up to be considered suitable marriage partners. The Clanless had ways to climb the social ladder as well: becoming a Kabaima, a helper, for the inhabitants palace was considered to be an honourable post, the highest honour for someone without a Clan. They were similarly allowed to live and marry within the palace, and where often given some payment for their descendants at the end of their service, when they reached old age or died.
In an intermediary position the commoners and the famous where the non-inheriting children of the latter. The sons and daughters of the men of the clan were not included in the matrilineal passage of power and had to find themselves a position in society: the men were often encouraged to join the "high guard", responsible for the private property of the clan within the city, and both men and women could become "Shrine keepers", organising religious functions and overseeing the community who took care of the shrine's upkeep. These positions were open to commoners too, but Famous commoners, due to their closeness to the clan (and thus, to leadership), were preferred for this kind of position.

I was fascinated about the "Shrine Keeper" figure, but I could find very little about it. I found this on shrines, though:

5. Kamābarha – Early Tritonean shrines, the rise of an architectural typology:
Within the context of northern Arhada cities, we can see the emergence of a new building type: specialised shrines, independent of the palace district. These prove to be an evolution of the domestic type: the courtyard framing a centred, central-plan building was a clear re-elaboration of palaces; the difference however is in the proportions between the single parts. The courtyard building surrounding the shrine proper, now a mere framing device, grew narrower and shorter, while the central building acquired prominence, both in size and in height. The central structure contained one large square room where votive statuettes, offerings and precious materials were gifted from people honouring the spirits to whom the shrine was dedicated. Because early shrines were made of wood, we have little direct information regarding their appearance, for which we need to employ pictorial and sculptural sources (clay models of shrines are a common pottery item, used for votive purposes). It has been proposed that early shrines were often rebuilt as the object of devotion changed according to the needs of the city – it's believed that this rebuilding of the shrine often corresponded with the promotion of a new Shrine Keeper. Eventually, shrines would be built in more durable materials, making rebuilding less practical, but in this early stage the reconstruction of the shrine was probably a ritual occurrence.

[...]

It must be noted that shrines had their way of accumulating wealth, through the management of the offerings given by the devout: some shrines in Kamābarha had enough to surpass a number of the wealthiest non-famous Clans. Because the appointment to shrines was handled by the council of Matriarchs, however, the Famous Clans always had a way to indirectly handle those resources, through the appointment of a family member.

I copied some more drawings: one is a fascinating scheme of how temple typologies became more and more complex through the ages (though the last example is some 1000 years outside the timeline of the essay) and the other is an axonometric view of temple "E".
I will be briefer on Amadahai, skipping all the things that are shared between the two cities. There are a couple of divergences that I think shed some light on how differently the political environment of the two cities evolved.

1. Amadahai – Establishment and Growth
One key difference between Amadahai and Kamābarha was in their location: while Kamābarha was built along the coast of the Great Lake, Amadahai was founded in a strategic location at the head of the land bridge that closes off most of the small lake Thidorovôdjo from the larger Odjohivôdjo. This thin strip of land was reinforced with rows of paddies on both sides, creating a lush environment for the agricultural production of the urban centre. The warmer climate of Amadahai also provided the locals with a longer growing season, ensuring a higher production of high quality fruits and fruit products – wines, preserves, oil – that would be traded all over Tritonea and beyond. It seems that Amadahai's initial wealth was derived especially from this production and a booming trade of cosmetics in the form of spiced and perfumed oils, the large scale production of pigments such as indigo dye, ochre, and oil paint. It is worth dedicating a few words to this last product: while oil paints, as mixtures of pecan oil and pigments, had been used throughout Arhadan territory for some time (especially within the Southern Pottery School), Amadahai is the first site where the chemical analyses of archeological findings detected the use of hempseed oil – which acts as a better drying oil. Indeed, the high quality of the paintwork in pottery is one of the key feature of the Southern Pottery school, and some examples of painted pots, pipes and oil vessels are still visible today, with several exemplars being held at Newtown's Royal Museum of Horean Archaology. Tobacco was another notable export of the city and its wider political network: its climate was well suited for the cultivation of the leaf which was then carried throughout the lake system.

[...]

Amadahai also served as a centre of agricultural development, with the innovation of at least two very important crops being connected to the site of Amadahai II (contemporary with Kamābarha III). The first is Taraxacum ceratophorum, the wild Tritonean Dandelion, which the Arhada domesticated around the 5th Century, and began to select over the course of the next Centuries to obtain a series of crops we commonly eat to this day. Taraxacum was used for a number of different functions: the roots could be used to create brews, the leaves could be eaten raw, the petals could be crushed into dyes or used as aromatics.
Even more economically important was the creation of the Cattail variant Typha domestica var. lanifera, also called "Southern Cattail" or "Wooly Cattail". The fluff of wild cattails was hard to spin because of the shortness of the strands. As such, hemp-cattail blends started off as a common alternative to either of the pure fibre, softening the roughness of hemp and supplementing the scarcity of workable Typha fibre. Over the years, as cattail-flower fibre goods became more prised for their soft texture, the plant was selected for longer and sturdier fibres, larger heads and shorter stalks. The gathering of the fibre was light enough work to allow for the material to spread even thogh the cattail itself, domesticated from Typha Domingensis, required warmer climates, impeding its spread to the northern half of the Arhada territories in lake Sibozjivôro. This ensured that its cultivation would remain a southern specialty for some time, further ensuring Amadahai's commercial success.

A picture of the Wooly Cattail from the book! I had no idea it was first domesticated there, though thinking about it, it makes sense. I suppose I have to thank the people of Amadahai for the sweater I'm wearing right now. Some notes on politics, then I'll have to leave the library – the old man at the desk is giving me looks.

2. Amadahai – Internal Politics
The key differences in the political structure of early Amadahai can be easily appreciated when ne observes the power structures within its leadership class. Where Kamābarha had four or three leading clans, Amadahai maintains a stable number of six clans.

Amadahai's political diagram for reference.

Because the members of the leading families represent a greater percentage of the city's demography, the leadership of early Amadahai is thought to be less top-heavy: all mothers of the six ruling clans participated in the council and, rather than having a single elder matriarch as the head of the council – as was the case in Kamābarha –, the duties of the council were split between three members, elected by the matriarchs amongst the matriarchs.
The "Speaker" had a similar functions to the senior matriarch of Kamābarha but her role was mostly that of a representative and prima inter pares, rather than a final authority. She was flanked by two peers, equally chosen by the entire council: a "Treasure mother", who acted as a steward for the shared wealth of the clans, and a "Lore mother". The responsibilities of this final figure were perhaps the widest: amongst them was a cereful knowledge of genealogy and the history of Amadahai and all its client cities, the recording of contracts of obeisance and clientele, the approval and arrangement of marriages between members of the Famous clans, as well as the mentorship of younger women who might succeed her. While the Speaker of the council evidently held the most outwardly active role, the Lore Mother, in lieu of her deep knowledge, wisdom and powerful responsibilities, was treated with the most respect amongst the three.
If we look at the political role of men, we can see that even their division of power was more egalitarian than in Kamābarha: while we can still notice a clear division between First Leader and Second Leader, in a similar fashion to what we see in the northern city, we find that the second leader does not act independently in matters of war, being assisted instead by a war council formed of all the adult men of the clan. This speaks to Amadahai's deeper martial culture, born of a more conflictual relationship with its southern neighbours. The war council culminated in the creation of a sort of military elite – hunting and engaging in sporting culture during times of peace and commanding forces of commoners and clansless people in times of war. This is visible in the developement of specialised weapons (in Amadahai II we see the first depictions of recurve self bows in pictographs, pottery and sculpture) as well as an increase in arrowhead production dated from this period. There is current debate over whether the "Famous commoner" class could join this group, but the consensus seems to be that while they could become commanders, they did not have the rights to speak or vote in the war council proper.

[...]

While both an elite military role and priesthood were acceptable paths for famous commoners, it seems that these options were barred to all other commoners (another difference from Kamābarha). Again, this is possibly explained by the higher numbers of nobles in the city. A "lower guard", overseeing the protection of everything within the city but outside the palace was manned by commoners, whereas the "higher guard", acting as personal protectors of the Famous men and right hand men in times of war, were chosen exclusively amongst the non-inheriting relatives of the clan. The same goes for the priesthood: men and women of the clan's blood but outside the line of inheritance were invited to oversee the running of a temple: to be appointed, a "famous commoner" would require the backing of a member of one of the clans – usually via their father – and unanimous consent from all the members of the high leadership: the three matriarchs and the two leaders. These postings were diplomatically and economically sensitive: they allowed one of the clans to give an affiliated party a role within the leadership of a shrine, tapping into additional resources for the benefit of their family.

Alright, I guess that's enough research for my thesis – I'm super tired. I might still borrow this book when I can. End of note.