The industrial district was a blur of neon and shadow, the distant hum of the city drowned out by the roar of two engines locked in battle.
Kai had just lost the lead.
His C5 skidded violently over the gravel, tires struggling to find grip as he fought against the weight shift.
Up ahead, Kazu's Evo IX sailed through the rough patch effortlessly, its AWD system digging into the terrain, unbothered by the instability.
Kai clenched his jaw.
The Apex Serpents roared from the sidelines.
They thought this was the moment Kazu would break him.
That the rookie had reached his limit.
But Kai knew—
A race wasn't over until the checkered flag dropped.
The moment Kai hit the gravel, the C5 betrayed him.
His rear tires lost grip instantly, sending the car into a sharp fishtail.
The entire chassis shuddered, the vibrations rattling through the steering wheel as the car tried to decide whether to spin out or keep going.
Kai's breath tightened.
His fingers instinctively went to correct—
But he stopped himself.
Fighting it would only make it worse.
Instead, he adjusted.
He let the rear slide—but controlled it.
Not too much correction. Just enough.
Kazu was still pulling away, but now—
Kai wasn't completely losing ground anymore.
The crowd saw it.
Kazu saw it.
The rookie wasn't fading.
He was learning.
The gravel stretch was long, nearly 200 meters of loose terrain before it gave way to proper asphalt again.
Kai felt every small imperfection, every sudden jolt, every slip of the tires.
But he stopped reacting with panic.
Instead—he let the C5 move with the road.
Not brute force.
Precision.
The rear kicked out slightly again, but this time, Kai knew how to counter it—
Not too aggressive. Not too soft.
He rode the slipping edge of control.
And as the C5 settled, the gap between him and Kazu stopped growing.
Then—
It started shrinking.
Kazu flicked his eyes to the rearview mirror.
His grip on the wheel tightened.
He hadn't expected this.
Kai was adapting.
The rough gravel ended abruptly, giving way to smooth asphalt once more.
Kazu's Evo transitioned seamlessly, barely losing any speed.
Kai's C5 slammed back onto clean pavement.
The rear tires squealed, the sudden grip forcing a harsh weight transfer.
Kai braced his core, keeping the steering firm.
No overcorrection. No hesitation.
The C5 stabilized.
And just like that—he was back in the fight.
The track ahead opened up into a long, sweeping left, leading into a high-speed straight.
Kai smirked.
This was his section.
If he could carry enough speed out of the curve, he could use the C5's raw horsepower to blast past Kazu before the finish.
But something felt off.
Kazu wasn't attacking.
He wasn't forcing the pass.
He was—
Waiting.
Kai's fingers flexed on the wheel.
"He's setting something up."
And then—
The road changed again.
The asphalt suddenly broke apart into uneven patches, dips forming where old repairs had been left unfinished.
Kai barely had time to react before his front tires dipped into the rough surface.
The entire car jolted violently.
The suspension struggled, the tires bouncing for a brief second.
Grip vanished.
And that's when Kazu attacked.
Kai's vision tunneled.
Kazu dropped a gear, his Evo lunging forward with an instant burst of acceleration.
Kai's C5 was unstable, still fighting to settle as Kazu made his move.
The Evo cut inside.
Kai's heart pounded.
He barely had enough time to react before Kazu was alongside him.
His front bumper crept up—
Then, his passenger door was even with Kai's.
Then—
Kazu was ahead.
Kai gritted his teeth.
The Apex Serpents erupted.
Their ace had reclaimed the lead.
But Kazu knew—
Kai wasn't giving up.
The finish line was ahead.
But before it—
One last turn.
A fast, sweeping left.
Kazu had the advantage now.
If he defended the inside, Kai couldn't pass.
And he knew that.
Kai inhaled sharply.
"If I follow his line, I lose."
He had to take a different approach.
Kazu set up for the inside entry, positioning himself to block any attempt at a pass.
But Kai?
He stayed outside.
Longer than he should have.
Long enough to make Kazu believe he wasn't attacking.
Then—
Kai suddenly cut in late.
A late apex attack.
He hit the perfect patch of grip at the exact right moment.
The C5 rotated beautifully, carrying more speed than should've been possible.
Kazu's eyes widened.
"No way—"
But it was already over.
The roar of the C5's V8 and the scream of the Evo's turbo filled the air as they blasted toward the finish.
Side by side.
Kazu was shifting aggressively, pushing his car to its absolute limit.
But Kai's perfect corner exit had given him momentum.
Inches became half a car.
Half a car became a full car length.
The finish line rushed toward them.
Kai didn't look at Kazu.
Didn't look at the crowd.
Didn't blink.
He shifted.
Perfect.
The C5 surged forward—
And crossed the finish.
Ahead.
Kai hit the brakes hard, his breath ragged, heart pounding.
Everything felt distant.
Then—
The silence broke.
Gasps.
Shouts.
Disbelief.
Kai pulled up, his hands still shaking.
The Apex Serpents weren't cheering.
They were stunned.
Not just because he won—
But because of how he won.
Kai had won by reading the road.
By adapting.
By being better.
Kazu sat in his Evo for a long moment.
Then—he chuckled softly.
"Shit."
He stepped out, rolling his shoulders.
"You really learned mid-race, huh?"
Kai exhaled sharply.
"Had to."
Kazu chuckled, shaking his head.
Then, he turned to Taryn.
"He earned it."
A sharp clap cut through the silence.
Kai turned.
Taryn wasn't leaning against her NSX anymore.
She was watching him.
And this time?
She wasn't just testing him.
She was acknowledging him.
She stopped a few feet away.
"Not bad."
Kai wiped sweat from his forehead. "So… I guess that means—"
"Not tonight."
Kai blinked. "What?"
Taryn smirked.
"Tomorrow night," she said.
"One-on-one. Down the mountain."
She leaned in slightly.
"And if you lose?"
She smiled.
"I take your engine."
Kai exhaled.
Then, he stepped forward.
"Deal."
Taryn grinned.
"Good."
She turned toward her car.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."
And the real test would begin.
[System Update: Race Completed]
Opponent Defeated: Kazu Takemura (Rank: Senior Driver)
Race Progress: 2/3 Wins Achieved
Night Runners Reputation increased
Reputation Increased: Recognized Contender
New Skill Acquired: "Bronze,Dynamic Adaptation" (Temporary Buff: Increased Road Awareness for Next Race)
---
Kai blinked, his heartbeat still pounding.
The system had never granted him a skill mid-quest before.
This wasn't just about winning anymore.
It was tracking him. Testing him.
And for the first time—
Kai wondered if he was the only one being watched.
---
Main Quest : "Establish the Night Runners."
Objective 1: Recruit at least three members. (1/3 - Ami Sato added.)
Objective 2: Secure a base of operations. (No location set.)