As the race was set to begin, Keqing keyed her radio, sending a brief message to Jinren's base. "There's another race about to unfold. You'd better get ready." Moments later, spectators were informed that this race was a face-off between Ganyu's S2K and Collei's Eight Six. A ripple of excitement passed through the crowd, and those who had been leaving quickly turned back to witness the unfolding spectacle.
Silverwolf watched the scene with a cool, measured gaze, analyzing the track ahead. "An uphill rain, followed by a downhill battle," she mused, tapping her fingers on the rail. "This one's going to be intense. But I've got a feeling that Eight Six is going to pull ahead in the end."
Yelan, ever calm and composed, walked towards the two cars. Standing right in the middle of the road, she raised a single hand, signaling the start. The crowd fell silent, anticipation hanging in the air. "Alright! We're going to start the countdown!" she announced, her voice carrying over the thrumming of engines as they revved in preparation.
"Five!"
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"Go!" Yelan dropped her hands, and with a roar, both cars shot forward, tearing down the start line.
The Eight Six faltered from the start, immediately losing the lead to Ganyu's S2K as they approached the first fast right-hand corner. Ganyu made the turn with precision, but Collei wasn't far behind. As they approached the sharp left hairpin that followed, Collei slid into the turn with breathtaking speed, but the gap between them continued to widen.
In the backseat, March found herself tossed around by the sharp movements of the car, her grip failing to hold steady against the force. Collei, however, was focused, drifting effortlessly through the corner, showing a mastery that only made the gap seem even more insurmountable.
Back at the start line, Beidou's frustration was palpable. "Damn it! That S2K's already taken the lead!"
Seele, standing by her side, raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on Beidou's shoulder. "Don't you get it?"
Beidou turned to her with a puzzled look. "No, what do you mean?"
Amber, ever the strategist, smirked and crossed her arms. "It's simple. Remember Amakane?"
Beidou nodded slowly. "Yeah?"
Amber continued, her tone confident. "Collei chose to fall behind at the start. She's studying Ganyu's driving style, just like she did when she chased Eula in that race."
Beidou's eyes widened as the realization hit. "Oh! She's learning Ganyu's moves. I should've known!" She facepalmed in frustration.
Meanwhile, Collei and Ganyu approached the next hairpin. Ganyu's lead was still intact, but her smooth driving was about to be tested. As she entered the turn, her rear end started to fishtail, losing grip on the slick surface. Reacting quickly, Ganyu adjusted her footwork on the gas pedal, desperately trying to regain control. Her skill prevailed for a moment, and the fishtailing stopped, but she had lost valuable time in the process.
"Look at that S2K go! She's fast, even in these wet conditions!" a spectator shouted, eyes glued to the action.
"That's a tough move to pull off, especially with the slippery road," another muttered, impressed by Ganyu's skill.
But just as the rain began to intensify, Collei's Eight Six approached the same hairpin, executing a flawless four-wheel drift that left the crowd speechless. She darted through the corner as though the road were dry, gripping the wet asphalt with expert precision. The crowd erupted in awe.
"That Eight Six is something else!"
"She's drifting like there's no rain at all!"
"She's got the guts, and the skill!"
Inside the Eight Six, March was both nervous and in awe. "She's like a different person when she's behind the wheel," she thought, her mind racing. "Even with me screaming in the back, she's completely undisturbed. Who are you really, Collei? Some kind of robot or...?"
March's gaze drifted to the pitch-black road ahead, barely visible in the rain. "It's like we're driving through a black hole. How does she do it? This is a course she's never seen before, and yet... she's perfectly in control."
Suddenly, the speed limit chime echoed in the cabin with a loud ding-dong. March's eyes widened. "That chime... We're going faster than 100 kilometers per hour!" she exclaimed, bracing herself for the next turn.
As they hurtled toward the next corner, March found herself tossed violently across the seat, her body unable to keep up with the G-forces. Collei, unfazed, pulled off another flawless drift, effortlessly steering the Eight Six through the corner.
"Time to turn up the pressure," Collei murmured, her smirk widening.
March blinked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Turn up the pressure!? What's she been doing all this time?!"
Collei slammed her foot to the floor, and the Eight Six surged forward with startling speed. The car jolted slightly as it picked up pace, the rain pelting harder against the windshield as the car pushed on.
As the rain intensified, Ganyu's confidence soared. She had been gaining on her opponent, and it felt like she was in the zone. "I'm going to be the one to defeat the Eight Six this time. No need for Ningguang's help. This is mine!" she thought, her grip tightening on the wheel.
But then, a flash of light in her rearview mirror caught her attention. Her eyes widened in shock. "No way! How did she catch up? In this rain?!" Ganyu's heart raced. She quickly checked the dashboard, but everything seemed fine with the S2K. "This isn't possible. Why does it feel slower all of a sudden?!"
Determined to hold her ground, she floored the gas, hoping to increase her speed. But no matter how hard she pushed, the Eight Six remained on her tail, closing in.
As they reached a tight right-hand corner, Ganyu's S2K began to fishtail again, sliding wide as Collei expertly maintained her position behind. But the gap was narrow, and Collei knew it wasn't the right moment to overtake.
However, when they reached the next hairpin, Ganyu slammed on the brakes, losing valuable time. Collei followed suit but quickly spotted her opportunity. With lightning-fast reflexes, Collei floored the gas pedal, sending the Eight Six surging forward.
Ganyu looked to her right in disbelief. "No way! She's beside me!"
Before she could even process the situation, Collei shot past her, the Eight Six gripping the wet road like it was dry pavement. The crowd erupted in amazement.
"That's insane! Did you see how she handled that corner!?"
"She gripped it like there was no rain!"
Inside the S2K, Ganyu was in utter disbelief. "I can't keep up! Her lead is just growing and growing!" she muttered, frustration mounting with every corner.
The gap between Collei and Ganyu continued to widen, and with every turn, it became more apparent that even a small mistake from Collei wouldn't be enough to undo her lead. The race was all but decided. Collei had won.
On the radio, Yelan's voice crackled. "The race is over! The Eight Six has won!"
Yelan walked over to Keqing's window, rolling it down with a casual motion. "Your girl lost," she said, her tone almost teasing.
Keqing nodded silently, the weight of the loss settling over her. Yelan gave a small shrug before heading back to her Blackbird and driving off into the night.
Keqing leaned forward in her seat, her mind heavy with thoughts. "I knew she'd lose... No matter the rain, that Eight Six will always come out on top. But Ningguang? She'll win the race in two days' time. I have no doubt."
At the summit, word of Collei's victory spread like wildfire. Spectators, still buzzing with excitement, spoke in hushed tones.
"That was incredible! The Eight Six won against the S2K!"
"No kidding! That girl is something else!"
Beidou, Seele, Pela, and Amber exchanged knowing glances, each of them processing the race in their own way.
Amber broke the silence with a smirk. "Looks like another win for Collei."
"No kidding. She can win, rain or shine," Beidou remarked, glancing up at the sky.
Pela offered a smile. "At least it's good practice for the upcoming race against Ningguang."
Amber shrugged, heading toward the parking lot. "Well, let's head home. We've seen enough."
The others followed suit, heading toward Amber's sileighty, the night's events still hanging in the air. Two battles had come to an end. Two victors. But from two different corners of the Narukami Prefecture.