The Underground Circuit wasn't just any street race.
It was where the best of Marrydale City came to prove themselves.
There were no casual racers here.
No beginners.
Just crews and champions, each one hungry to dominate the city.
And tonight?
For the first time in years, an independent racer had entered.
The Underdog Walks In
The race was being held in the abandoned industrial district—a vast area of cracked concrete, old warehouses, and long, open straights perfect for high-speed battles.
Kai pulled up in his Corvette C5, its freshly mounted performance tires gripping the pavement as he rolled into the lot.
The moment he parked, heads turned.
Whispers spread.
"Who the hell is that?"
"Wait… is that the kid who beat Ryo?"
"Is he racing solo?"
Kai stepped out, ignoring the stares.
He had no crew, no sponsors, and no reputation.
But he had one win under his belt—and that was enough to get him here.
Ami walked up beside him, arms crossed. "You sure about this?"
Kai smirked. "Too late to back out now, isn't it?"
Ami studied him for a second, then nodded. "Then let's do this."
One by one, the dominant racing crews of Marrydale City arrived, their cars rolling in like predators staking their territory.
Black Widows – Street Racing Kings
Ryo was the first to step out of his black GR Supra, now joined by three other racers.
He smirked when he saw Kai. "So, you really showed up."
Kai met his gaze. "Didn't plan on missing it."
Ryo chuckled. "Well, don't take it personally when we leave you in the dust."
Apex Serpents – Mountain Masters
A group of white and red ,low-slung, high-performance JDM machines pulled up next—Nissan GT-Rs, RX-7s, and a single NSX leading the pack.
The leader stepped out, a tall woman with icy blue eyes and a cold expression.
She didn't acknowledge Kai.
To her, he was irrelevant.
Crimson Valkyries – The Circuit Champions
The last group arrived with sleek European sports cars, M3s, AMG's , and RS3's.
They were the kings of precision racing, and unlike the other crews, they didn't bother with intimidation.
They were here to win, simple as that.
---
The Race Format & The Challenge
A man in a suit stepped forward, holding a mic.
"Welcome to the Underground Circuit," he announced, his voice echoing through the lot. "You all know the rules. Twelve racers. Four rounds. One winner."
Ami leaned in toward Kai. "This isn't just a single race. You have to win four rounds to take the whole thing."
Kai exhaled. Four races. Four chances to get eliminated.
And no second chances.
The official continued. "One more thing—"
His eyes landed on Kai.
"—this time, we have a wildcard."
The crowd murmured, eyes flicking to Kai.
"An independent racer. No crew. No backing. Just a kid who got lucky."
Kai clenched his jaw but said nothing.
The official smirked.
"Well, kid… let's see if you survive the night."
A massive digital screen lit up, showing the course map.
Starting Zone: A long straight in the industrial district
Mid-Sector: Tight corners weaving between old warehouses
Final Stretch: A brutal 90⁰ curve leading to the finish line
As Kai climbed into his C5, the holographic system flickered to life.
---
[System Notification: Event Flag Triggered]
- Underground Circuit Race Detected.
Competitor Rank: Unrecognized (System Deviance Noted).
- Adjusting Parameters…
[Side Quest: Win the tournament]
[Reward Silver Card]
The air in the industrial district pulsed with energy. The smell of burning rubber, gasoline, and sweat filled the night. Kai's hands were steady on the leather-worn steering wheel, but his heart pounded in his chest.
This wasn't a casual street race.
This was the Underground Circuit.
And only two out of four drivers would advance.
He exhaled slowly, glancing at his competition.
---
Lined up beside Kai were three seasoned street racers, each one a master of their own racing style.
1. Hiroshi Tanaka (Apex Serpents)
Car: White Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R
Specialty: High-speed cornering
Reputation: Known for perfect braking & fearless precision
2. Dominic Krause (Crimson Valkyries)
Car: Red Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe
Specialty: Grip racing & top-speed control
Reputation: A silent but ruthless racer. His record? 14 races, 12 wins.
3. Taro "T-Bone" Iwasaki (Black Widows)
Car: Black Mazda RX-8
Specialty: Reckless bumper-to-bumper racing & dirty tricks
Reputation: Has forced opponents off the road before. No mercy.
Kai flexed his fingers.
No room for mistakes.
The flare was raised.
Race Start – A Brutal Launch
Three… Two… One…
The flare dropped.
Engines roared, tires screeched, and the street shook as four cars blasted off the starting line.
The RX-8 shot forward first, its lightweight body and high-revving rotary engine screaming as it surged ahead.
Kai's C5 struggled for traction, the rear tires spinning for a fraction of a second before biting into the pavement.
By the time he shifted into third gear, Taro (RX-8) was already a full car length ahead.
To his right, Dominic's AMG surged forward, its brutal V8 growling as it gained speed.
Behind them, Hiroshi's Skyline GT-R held back slightly—watching, waiting.
Kai gritted his teeth.
The first corner was coming fast.
---
Taro reached the corner first, jerking the wheel hard, throwing his RX-8 into a reckless drift.
Kai had no room to pass, forced to either brake or risk crashing into the rear of the RX-8.
Taro grinned in his side mirror.
"Come on, rookie—flinch!"
Kai didn't.
Instead he stayed focused.
[Bronze Skill Activated: Adrenaline Rush]
---
Everything slowed down for a fraction of a second.
Kai saw it—a narrow gap between Taro's car and the warehouse wall.
It was impossible.
Too tight. Too risky.
But his instincts screamed at him—take it.
Kai jerked the wheel and squeezed through, the Corvette's side mirror nearly scraping the wall as he threaded the gap.
The crowd erupted in shock.
Taro's eyes went wide.
"WHAT!?"
The race exploded into chaos as they entered the mid-sector—a series of unpredictable turns between abandoned buildings.
Taro was fuming in the RX-8, but instead of backing off, he got more aggressive.
He brake-checked Kai, trying to force him to slow down or lose control.
Kai saw it coming.
He feathered the brakes, dodging the trap, keeping his acceleration steady.
Dominic, however, wasn't playing games.
The AMG barreled forward, its massive power overwhelming the lighter JDM cars.
With a sharp move, Dominic forced Taro wide, stealing the inside line.
Now, it was a three-way battle—
Taro's RX-8 (left lane, slightly behind)
Kai's C5 (center, holding the fastest line)
Dominic's AMG (right lane, trying to muscle ahead)
Behind them, Hiroshi finally made his move.
The R32 Skyline surged forward, using the slipstream to rocket past Taro's RX-8 and pull up beside Kai.
Now, they were four-wide heading into the tightest corner of the track.
The Breaking Point – The Final Turn Before the Straight
The next corner was vicious—a tight right-hander that opened into the final straight.
If someone didn't brake in time, they were hitting the guardrail.
Taro, now furious, tried to push Hiroshi wide, forcing the Skyline to take a shallower entry.
Hiroshi gritted his teeth but held his line—the GT-R sliding into the corner, barely holding grip.
Dominic, trusting his Mercedes' superior brakes, braked later than anyone else.
Kai, however—
Didn't brake at all.
A perfect path illuminated in Kai's vision.
He saw the gaps forming before they even happened.
Taro's RX-8 was too shallow—he'd have to correct his angle, losing speed.
Hiroshi's Skyline was going too deep—his tires would struggle to grip on exit.
Dominic's AMG was heavy—he'd struggle for traction after braking so late.
Kai took the perfect line—cutting the corner just enough to maintain speed without losing grip.
He flew through the turn.
Taro understeered slightly, slamming his bumper against the wall.
Hiroshi fought the slide, barely keeping control.
Dominic was fast but couldn't recover fast enough.
When the smoke cleared—
Kai was in first place.
---
Final Stretch – The Drag Race to the Finish Line
The finish line was only a few hundred meters ahead.
Kai's C5 had the lead, but Dominic's AMG was right behind him.
The Mercedes had the better top speed.
Kai needed a perfect shift to hold his lead.
Dominic gunned it.
The AMG rocketed forward gaining on Kai.
The finish line was approaching fast—they were almost side by side.
Kai exhaled.
He shifted.
Perfect.
The Corvette surged forward—
He crossed the finish 30 cm ahead of Dominic.
---
Race Results – The First Eliminations
1st Place – Kai Damons (Corvette C5) – Advances to Round 2
2nd Place – Dominic Krause (AMG C63) – Advances to Round 2
3rd Place – Hiroshi Tanaka (R32 Skyline GT-R) – Eliminated
4th Place – Taro Iwasaki (RX-8) – Eliminated
The moment Kai stepped out of his car, the crowd exploded.
Ryo smirked from the sidelines. "He's not a fluke."
Taro kicked his RX-8's tire in frustration. "Damn it!" He turned to Kai. "You got lucky, rookie."
Kai just shrugged. "Maybe."
But he knew.
It wasn't luck.
It was him.
And he was just getting started.
[System Notification: Race Completed]
- Race Win Bonus: 300 Credits Earned
- Rank Increased: Recognized Competitor
- Next Reward: ??? (Win Round 2 to Unlock)
-Skill Acquired: Instinctive Lines