With Night Falling at Chirai Pass. The air was alive with excitement, the dim glow of the setting sun casting long shadows over the mountainous terrain. The summit of Chirai Pass buzzed with energy as spectators filled every available spot along the course, their chatter and cheers blending into a cacophony of anticipation. Lanterns and portable floodlights bathed the area in an ethereal glow, illuminating the winding track below like a silver ribbon.
The low rumble of engines announced the arrival of Team Speed Stars. Their convoy emerged from the darkness, headlights piercing the gathering mist. The iconic Eight Six led the way, flanked by four support vans. The vehicles came to a halt in the parking area, a symphony of tires crunching on gravel.
Moments later, a sleek, white Lancia Rally 037 rolled in, its turbocharged engine growling like a predator. The car pulled up beside a striking Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, which had been waiting, its driver casually leaning against the driver-side door. Clorinde sat motionless for a moment, her hands resting on the steering wheel. Then, with practiced ease, she undid her harness and swung the door open, stepping out into the crisp night air.
Her gaze immediately locked onto Yoimiya, who straightened up and smirked, her golden eyes reflecting the lantern light like fire.
"Miss me?" Yoimiya quipped, her voice laced with playful confidence.
Clorinde allowed herself a small smile but said nothing. Instead, she gave a subtle nod before turning her attention to the crowd.
As the two racers exchanged unspoken tension, Keqing approached Yoimiya, her determined stride cutting through the chaos.
"So," Keqing began, her tone professional but tinged with curiosity, "since you're the locals here, we'd like to get the starting order of the race."
Yoimiya shrugged with casual ease. "If you don't mind, I'll chase." Her smirk widened as if daring anyone to object.
Keqing nodded, raising her voice to address the gathered spectators. "Alright! The race is about to start!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, their excitement palpable.
Clorinde extended a hand toward Yoimiya, and the two racers exchanged a firm handshake, their grips speaking volumes about their shared respect—and rivalry.
"Nice to see you again, Yoimiya," Clorinde said, her voice calm and measured.
Yoimiya grinned. "Nice to see you too, rally racer."
With the formalities complete, they parted ways, each heading toward their respective cars.
Clorinde slid back into the Lancia, shutting the door with a satisfying thud. She fastened her five-point harness with precision, pulling on the adjustment straps until they were snug. Her hands gripped the wheel, and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief moment of focus. When they snapped open, her resolve was clear.
"Let's do this," she whispered, her voice steady and determined.
Engines roared to life, their feral growls echoing across the pass as the Lancia and the Cosworth prepared to take off. Keqing raised her hand, her voice cutting through the noise.
"Let the countdown begin!"
"FIVE!"
"FOUR!"
"THREE!"
"TWO!"
"ONE!"
"GO!"
Keqing's hand dropped, and the cars launched from the starting line with a burst of speed. Tires screeched, engines howled, and the crowd's cheers became a deafening roar. The Lancia and Cosworth tore into the first right-hand corner, their tail lights streaking like comets through the darkness.
"Go get that Lancia, Yoimiya!" someone shouted from the sidelines.
"Chase her down!"
Keqing stepped back, her gaze following the racers as they disappeared into the twisting road. She turned to Ningguang, who stood nearby, her arms crossed as she watched the action unfold with a composed expression.
"Hey, Ning," Keqing began, her tone lighter now. "You recognized that girl driving the Cosworth, right?"
Ningguang nodded slowly. "Yeah, I remember Yoimiya. But honestly, this race will be a walk in the park for Clorinde."
Keqing tilted her head. "How so?"
"Because Clorinde raced the same car last autumn," Ningguang explained. "She knows how the Cosworth handles—its strengths, its weaknesses, everything. If Yoimiya tries anything like she did at Jakotsu, Clorinde will be ready. She knows how to counteract every trick in the book."
She paused, her gaze distant for a moment. "But I didn't expect her to be here at all."
Keqing sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "No kidding. And Collei's opponent isn't going to make things easy either—a Rocket Bunny Silvia S13. That driver's a professional."
Ningguang scoffed lightly. "It's not Collei's first rodeo racing a pro. Don't forget Kuki Shinobu. Feiyun's graduate, remember?"
Keqing nodded. "Yeah. Turned pro right after that."
Ningguang shifted her attention to the uphill road. "Collei already knows how to handle a professional. Plus, with the engine upgrades we made, she has a real edge now."
Keqing smiled faintly. "Right. We managed to spread the powerband down from 8250 to 7500 RPM, and the power boost—from 250 to 280 horsepower—will give her a lot more punch out of corners and on straights."
"Exactly," Ningguang said with a nod. "It'll help her hold her own against higher-powered opponents."
The two women stood in silence for a moment, their attention fixed on the faint echoes of engines roaring in the distance.
The race was on.
The two cars roared through the left-hand hairpin, their engines echoing through the mountains like wild beasts. Clorinde's Lancia carved the corner with surgical precision, her foot expertly blipping the throttle to keep the car balanced on the razor's edge between oversteer and understeer. The tires clawed at the tarmac, leaving faint streaks of rubber behind. Her technique was impeccable, reminiscent of Ayrton Senna's legendary throttle control in Formula One—fluid, calculated, and utterly unshakable.
Yoimiya, trailing closely in the Sierra Cosworth, watched intently from behind. She muttered to herself, her voice laced with grudging admiration, "Her car has evolved... same with her technique. She's faster than she used to be in Jakotsu."
Her fingers tightened around the wheel, knuckles whitening. "No wonder she's undefeated in the Northern Areas of Inazuma... but still. The car—it still looks the same, even sounds the same. It relies on balance, on the tires. No tricks. Just precision."
Her sharp golden eyes narrowed as she studied the Lancia pulling away in the straightaway. A cold realization settled in. "But on the straights, she's faster. Did she modify that engine of hers?"
Determined not to lose ground, Yoimiya slammed the shifter into the next gear and planted her foot on the gas. The Sierra Cosworth surged forward, the turbo whistling like an angry banshee. The gap between the two cars began to close—ever so slightly—but not enough for Yoimiya to make a move.
The Lancia pulled ahead again, maintaining its lead as they barreled through another left-hand hairpin. Both cars slid through the corner with ease, their drifts perfectly executed. The Lancia executed a flawless four-wheel drift, its tires gripping just enough to keep the slide controlled. Behind it, the Sierra Cosworth performed a no-countersteer four-wheel drift, Yoimiya's hands steady as stone. Despite her efforts, the gap between the two cars refused to shrink.
Back at Base. Under the glow of floodlights, Ganyu approached Collei, who leaned casually against her Eight Six. The younger driver seemed lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the distant road where the race unfolded.
"Hey, Collei," Ganyu began, her soft voice cutting through the hum of the crowd. "What's the course like to drive on?"
Collei turned her head, meeting Ganyu's curious gaze. "The course is divided into three sections. Perfect for devising a tactic... but pulling off those tactics here? Nearly impossible. This course demands everything from the driver and the car."
She straightened up, gesturing with her hands as she explained. "The first section is fairly wide—enough to fit two cars side by side. It's fast-paced, which is where Clorinde's Lancia can pull away. The second section is the opposite—narrow and painfully slow, filled with continuous hairpins and tight curves. It's like Monte Carlo or Snezhnaya. And just like the first section, the Lancia shines here because of its handling. Clorinde once mentioned something Walter Röhrl said: 'A Formula Rally Car.' It fits her perfectly."
Ganyu nodded along, absorbing every word.
"And then," Collei continued, "there's the third section. It's a mix of the first two—partially wide and fast, partially tight and technical. A true test of versatility." She sighed. "Honestly, I've never raced against the Sierra Cosworth, but if anyone can dominate, it's Clorinde. That car and her driving are a deadly combination."
Back in the Race. Just as Collei predicted, Clorinde began extending her lead as they approached the second section of the course. The Lancia now held a two-car-length advantage, and the gap was growing.
The two cars sped through the final wide curve of the first section. Clorinde hooked her wheels into the gutter, her Lancia tilting slightly as the inside wheel lifted. She kept the car balanced with precise throttle inputs, the infamous "inner wheel lifting" technique allowing her to maintain speed without sacrificing stability.
From behind, Yoimiya watched in awe and frustration. Her eyes narrowed. "Making ground using inner wheel lifting... impressive, Clorinde. You've improved a lot."
But admiration quickly turned to irritation. As they exited the curve, Yoimiya tightened her grip on the wheel, her jaw clenched. "How is that Lancia pulling away? I know it's lighter, but it shouldn't have this much of an edge. We're making about the same power now... or at least, we should be."
The Cosworth's engine screamed as Yoimiya pushed it harder, her frustration mounting. "I should have chosen to lead first," she muttered through gritted teeth. "This was a mistake—a big one. If this keeps up, the race will be over in the first run!"
Determined to keep her chances alive, Yoimiya's desperation began to kick in. She pushed her car to the limit, her focus narrowing to a singular goal: close the gap and force a second run.
Ahead of her, Clorinde remained calm, her every move deliberate and precise. The two cars disappeared into the narrow, twisting turns of the second section, the gap still holding steady. The spectators watched with bated breath, their cheers echoing into the night.
The battle had only just begun.
Back at Base. The hum of the crowd and the faint echoes of engines filled the air as Keqing and Ningguang stood near the starting area. The faint glow of the overhead lights cast long shadows, and the distant roar of the ongoing race added a sense of urgency to their conversation.
Ningguang's gaze was fixed on the empty starting line where Clorinde and Yoimiya had begun their battle. Her expression was thoughtful, her tone contemplative as she spoke.
"Both Collei and Clorinde have improved drastically," Ningguang began, her words deliberate. "But there's something I've been meaning to discuss with you. A... phenomenon that seems to occur with both of them."
Keqing raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in her sharp eyes. "What phenomenon?"
Ningguang's gaze didn't waver from the starting area. Her voice lowered slightly, as though speaking about something almost supernatural.
"It's... hard to explain," she admitted. "Let's begin with Clorinde. I call her phenomenon The Rapperia Zone. It's not just unique to her—it happens with Collei as well—but Clorinde's case is particularly striking. It's a state where the driver and their car achieve an almost perfect synchronicity. For Clorinde, it's as though she and her 037 become one. This phenomenon isn't constant—it's rare, sporadic even—but since she joined us, it's been happening more often."
Keqing tilted her head, intrigued but skeptical. "When did you first notice it?"
Ningguang sighed, her gaze distant as she recalled the moment. "It became apparent during Clorinde's race against Heizou. He tried to brake-check her in a hairpin—a risky and deliberate move. But something happened. Our spotters noticed the Lancia suddenly shoot forward, as if propelled by an unseen force, leaving a faint trail of light behind. When the race ended, the gap between her and the car behind had grown significantly. And when she was behind... the gap just vanished. It's like she bends the rules of physics, but I can't explain how or why."
Keqing crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "That sounds... unbelievable. What about Collei? Does she have something similar?"
Ningguang glanced toward Collei's Eight Six, where the young driver leaned against her car, animatedly chatting with Ganyu. Her voice softened. "Collei's phenomenon is different. But perhaps it's best if we save that discussion for when her race begins. You'll see it for yourself."
Meanwhile, on the winding roads of the second section, the intensity of the battle between the Lancia and the Sierra Cosworth reached its peak. The narrow, technical turns forced both drivers to rely on every ounce of skill and precision they possessed.
Yoimiya's focus was razor-sharp, but frustration was beginning to creep in. As they navigated a left-hand curve, something unexpected happened.
Without warning, the Lancia surged forward, gaining an almost unnatural burst of speed. Clorinde's car seemed to leap ahead, leaving a faint, shimmering trail of light in its wake as it dove into the next corner.
Yoimiya's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell was that?!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and frustration. "She pulled away so suddenly, with no warning!"
The gap had grown to two and a half car lengths, and Yoimiya gritted her teeth, pushing her Sierra Cosworth harder, trying to claw back the distance. But no matter how aggressively she attacked the corners, the Lancia continued to edge away.
In the cockpit of the Lancia, Clorinde glanced at her left side mirror, her expression calm but focused. She muttered under her breath, her voice low and resolute. "Trying to keep up. I know... but this run ends on the first try."
They approached a tight right-hand hairpin, and Clorinde initiated a perfect four-wheel drift. The Lancia glided through the turn with precision, its rear end swinging out but never breaking control. Behind her, Yoimiya followed, executing the turn smoothly but unable to close the gap.
And then it happened again. As the Lancia exited the hairpin, it shot forward once more, the faint trail of light reappearing as it seemed to defy all logic. The sudden acceleration caught Yoimiya completely off guard. Her hands tightened on the wheel, but her concentration faltered for a split second.
The Cosworth's rear tires lost grip, and the car spun into a 360-degree turn. Yoimiya reacted instinctively, wrestling the wheel to regain control. She managed to stop the spin and get the car back on track, but the damage was done.
By the time she resumed the chase, the Lancia was gone, its taillights vanishing into the distance.
The Race Is Decided. Yoimiya's frustration boiled over as she pounded the steering wheel. "Damn it! That's it. The race is over.
The night at Chirai Pass had crowned its victor, but the tension and mysteries of the race lingered. Back at the base, Keqing and Ningguang watched in silence, both pondering the phenomenon they had witnessed—and what it meant for the battles yet to come.