The following morning, at a cozy café nestled in the heart of Musouji, one of the Speed Stars' support vans sat idling in the lot, its side panel streaked with road grime from the night before. Inside, Keqing, Albedo, and Navia were gathered at a corner booth, the smell of coffee and fried eggs hanging thick in the air.
Keqing slumped against the cushion, grimacing as she rubbed her lower back. "Ugh… sleeping in the van is a nightmare. How Ningguang manages to do it regularly beats me."
Navia leaned back with a sigh, stretching her arms behind her head. "Tell me about it. And it's not just her—I don't get how Collei or Clorinde can stand sleeping in their cars. That can't be good for the spine."
Albedo gave a soft chuckle, setting his coffee down with a quiet clink. "Collei has the back seat of the Eight Six. It's cramped, but at least it's horizontal. Clorinde, though? Spending a whole night in a Group B bucket seat? That's borderline masochism."
Keqing nodded slowly, her brows furrowed in thought. "After last night's practice runs, I appreciate Ningguang even more. She's not just the brains—she's the backbone of this whole damn team."
They continued their meal in easy silence as time drifted on. Outside, the sun had long passed its zenith, casting golden streaks across the quiet mountain town.
Up on Musouji Pass, a sleek blue Sileighty cruised along the winding road, the turbocharged engine humming beneath the hood. Inside, Amber and Seele rode in silence, both lost in anticipation.
Amber scanned the roadside, eyes darting between break points and clearings. "We need a good spot—somewhere close to the hairpins."
Seele leaned toward the window, gazing at the mountain scenery slipping by. "It's beautiful out here… quiet, almost surreal."
Amber smiled faintly. "Yeah. Kind of hard to believe a warzone's about to unfold on these roads."
As they reached the infamous Snake Hairpins—a series of four brutal switchbacks with unforgiving drop-offs—they spotted a gray Evo IX already parked in a pullout. Amber guided the Sileighty in next to it, her tires crunching gravel as she locked the handbrake with a click.
The doors opened, and a gust of cold mountain wind greeted them like a slap.
"Brrr—shit, it's freezing!" Amber laughed, clutching her jacket tighter.
Seele groaned, fumbling with her hood. "Yeah, no thanks. I didn't sign up for alpine wind chill."
Night fell over Musouji like a blanket of black velvet. Back at the starting area, floodlights cast long shadows across the lot as Albedo approached Ningguang, who stood near the lineup, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"The Eight Six is dialed in," Albedo reported. "Suspension, tires, engine—everything's spot on."
Ningguang gave a crisp nod. "Excellent. Now we wait."
As if on cue, the sound of high-performance engines rolled in like distant thunder. The Feiyun Racing School convoy arrived in formation: Thoma's white Celica GT-Four, Heizou's blue GC8 Subaru Impreza, and the centerpiece—an immaculate Group A Subaru Legacy RS, its body bristling with rally-spec modifications.
The cars pulled in with mechanical precision, their drivers stepping out and surveying the area like soldiers preparing for a skirmish. Xingqiu emerged last, his presence commanding without needing to raise his voice.
"All right, team," he called. "Let's get the lights set up and run final checks. No mistakes tonight."
Clorinde, leaning against a guardrail with arms crossed, smirked. "Well, well. The rally prince decided to grace us. And I think I already know who's getting the spotlight tonight."
Collei cracked a faint smile, her arms loose at her sides. "Yeah. Me too."
Ningguang's voice sliced through the murmur. "Collei. You're with me. Let's talk."
The two slid into the RX-7 FC3S, its engine already warmed. Ningguang took the lead with fluid precision, the rotary engine howling as the FC danced through the course—each apex kissed, every weight transfer deliberate. Inside, their voices were hushed, the tension palpable, a teacher and student exchanging vital last-minute insights amid tire squeals and brake fade.
Back at the Feiyun pit, Shinobu approached Xingqiu.
"Everything's green on the car?" she asked.
Xingqiu's tone was clipped but steady. "Dialed in. This course is technical—your AWD's going to be your edge. Just remember: tonight isn't just about winning. It's about proving we don't get outmatched."
Shinobu gave a curt nod. "Copy that."
The FC rolled back into the lot and slid to a stop in front of the Lancia. Ningguang stepped out, gaze scanning the lineup.
"Everything ready?" she asked.
Albedo gave a thumbs-up. "Engine's warm, tires at perfect pressure."
A rare smile tugged at her lips. "Good. Collei—you're up."
Collei nodded, shoulders relaxed but eyes focused.
Across the lot, Keqing walked to Feiyun's side and stood before Shinobu, poised and calm.
"We'd like a side-by-side start. The road's wide enough for two—should make for a clean race."
Shinobu raised a brow, then nodded. "Fine by me."
Keqing spun on her heel. "We're set! Line them up!"
The parking lot came alive as the Legacy and the Eight Six rolled into position. Shinobu tightened her harness and flipped the switches—fuel pump, fan, ignition. The flat-four roared to life. She glanced to her left—and froze.
Her eyes widened. "No way…"
Thoma's voice echoed from behind. "Wait—they're using that? Against Shinobu?"
Heizou turned to Xingqiu. "Boss, is this… is this a problem?"
Xingqiu's expression was unreadable. "Yes. A serious one."
Clorinde stepped onto the road, arm raised.
"FIVE!"
"FOUR!"
"THREE!"
"TWO!"
"ONE!"
"GO!"
Her hand dropped like a guillotine.
The Eight Six launched cleanly, its rear tires gripping hard on warmed compound. Shinobu bogged slightly—the revs were too low off the line. Turbo lag. The Legacy surged late, but by then, Collei was already two car lengths ahead.
Clorinde leapt over the guardrail, boots hitting gravel. "Shinobu fucked the launch."
Thoma turned, tense. "What happened?"
Xingqiu exhaled sharply. "Didn't rev high enough. Boost never built. That Eight Six? Took off like it was shot out of a cannon."
Far up the mountain, Yukong ended a call and looked at Feixiao. "You won't believe this—they sent the Eight Six."
Feixiao frowned. "Seriously? I thought Ningguang would've picked the Lancia. That thing's a monster."
Back on the course, the race was in full swing. The two cars tore through tight corners, headlights carving lines in the night. Shinobu's Legacy clawed through every turn with its AWD grip, but Collei's AE86 floated through the hairpins with frightening precision—rear slipping just enough, countersteer perfect, weight transfer smooth as silk.
A fast left approached. Both cars dove in. Twin four-wheel drifts, screaming tires, engines redlining—neither giving an inch. Collei's Eight Six danced on the limit, chassis tight, suspension soaking up the abuse.
At the starting line, Ningguang crossed her arms, watching the dark horizon.
"She gave away the car's launch characteristics," she said quietly. "That redline, that throttle response—Shinobu knows now. We've lost the element of surprise."
Keqing's stomach sank. "Then… how do we win?"
"With tactics," Ningguang replied. "Collei's not just here to race. She's here to adapt. This isn't just about speed—it's about growth under pressure."
Up on the mountain, Shinobu stayed tight on the Eight Six's tail, analyzing every input.
"We're heading into a section with rougher pavement and steep downhill grades," she muttered. "It's wide, yeah—but this shit suspension's gonna bounce if I push too hard. Can that thing hold together?"
They hit a right-hander at speed. Both cars braked hard. Collei's downshifts were clean—heel-and-toe smooth, weight settled right over the rear axle. She initiated the drift early, committed. Shinobu mirrored the move, AWD anchoring her through the apex.
"Damn," she hissed. "She's fast. That car's dialed in. I thought it'd fall apart here, but it's planted."
They burst into Musouji's longest straight. Shinobu's turbo spooled. She grinned.
"After this? It's my game. Steep downhill, fast sweepers—I'm gonna pass her, and she's not getting it back."
At the Snake Hairpins, Amber and Seele huddled in the cold.
"God, I should've brought my hoodie," Amber muttered.
Seele nodded. "Next time, we bring sleeping bags."
The rumble grew. Headlights appeared.
"There they are!" Amber shouted. "Collei's in front!"
The Eight Six dove into the first switchback, tires shrieking, closely tailed by the Legacy. Second hairpin—matched drifts. Third—nose to tail. But at the fourth, Shinobu moved.
She braked late, sweeping outside. Collei instinctively blocked—but Shinobu had baited her. With a lightning-quick feint, she dove inside.
Throttle wide open.
Collei's eyes flashed to the right—too late.
The Subaru surged forward, clearing her front bumper by inches.
It was clean.
It was brutal.
And just like that—Collei was chasing.
Onlookers clung to the guardrails at the snake-section hairpins, eyes wide as the thunder of twin exhaust notes ricocheted through the gorge. Feixiao leaned over the rail, squinting as taillights flickered into the next corner and vanished beyond the veil of trees.
"The vanishing line…" she murmured, voice low but tinged with awe.
Yukong, arms crossed, shot her a puzzled glance. "What are you talking about?"
Feixiao's lips curled into a smirk, never taking her eyes off the road. "From here, it looks like a clean inside overtake. Straight textbook. But from Collei's perspective? It's a goddamn ambush. Shinobu baited her into defending too wide, then cut under from the blind spot—right when Collei's mirrors were useless. That's a circuit racing trick… basic on paper, but pulling it off in the mountains? That's high-level execution."
Meanwhile, deep in the mountains, the battle raged on.
Collei's hands were choking the leather-wrapped wheel, white-knuckled and trembling with adrenaline. Her teeth clenched. "Damn it! She's fast!"
The cars screamed out of a tight chicane and launched onto a narrow bridge. Guardrails flew past in a blur of steel and shadow as the AE86's tires bit hard. The pitch changed—metal creaked beneath them as they transitioned into the uphill climb. Collei's brow furrowed. The revs weren't climbing fast enough.
"If the car can't pick up the pace, I'm done for…!" she growled. "Come on, Eight Six… SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE GOT!"
She crushed the throttle to the firewall, slamming the accelerator down with a desperation that verged on violence. The carbureted beast snarled in response. The 4A-GE screamed through its upper registers—9,000… 9,500… 10,000… The vibration in the cockpit turned brutal, resonating in her bones. Needles jittered across the dash. Then, with a metallic snarl, the tach slammed against 11,000 RPM.
She yanked the shifter down into fourth—clean, fast, brutal. The moment the gear engaged, she feathered the clutch and let it hook. The Eight Six surged forward, engine howling like a banshee let loose in the night.
The S-turn approached. She breathed once—short, sharp—and cut left, right, left again. Her hands worked like lightning on the wheel, and her feet danced across the pedals—heel-and-toe downshifts, throttle blips timed to milliseconds. The AE86 sliced through the bends with scalpel precision.
The gap began to shrink.
The left hairpin loomed next—tight, decreasing radius. She dove in with trail-brake pressure just on the edge of lockup, rotated the chassis, and pinned the throttle the moment the nose aligned with the exit. The Eight Six snapped into compliance, kicking forward like a greyhound on the leash. Up ahead, the Subaru's taillights drew closer.
A right-hand sweeper funneled into a tunnel entrance—its mouth gaping like the maw of some great beast. The Eight Six's high-pitched wail bounced between concrete walls, joined by the lower, throatier growl of the Legacy ahead.
Shinobu's eyes flicked to the mirror. Her brows pinched.
"She's closing in… already?"
She didn't say it with fear—more a mix of disbelief and restrained admiration.
Her grip on the wheel tightened as she downshifted into third, engine braking hard. "Damn it. We prepped the gear ratios for a fight with that Lancia's supercharged torque curve… I don't have the low-end pull I need now."
The incline was punishing, each uphill bend draining more of the Legacy's momentum. Shinobu fought the wheel through another slow right-hander, biting her lip. "These tight technical corners are screwing with my rhythm. If I was up against that Group B monster, I'd be long gone by now…"
She let out a dry scoff. "Whoever's calling the shots for Team Speed Stars knows how to fuck with people's plans."
The road opened again—just briefly—as they neared the crest. Another sharp right loomed in the headlights, barely distinguishable from the darkness. Shinobu glanced at her mirror.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…That Eight Six—it's different now. She's driving like someone else. That's not the same style from the Snake Turns."
Her thought didn't finish. Her instincts lit up as the final uphill turn came into view—and with it, a single bright-orange cone sitting dead center in the road.
Her reaction was instantaneous.
She spiked the brakes—screeching. The rear tires howled as she yanked the handbrake. The Legacy's tail swung out with precision, and in one fluid drift, she spun the car 180 degrees to face downhill. A half-second later, Collei matched her move flawlessly. The AE86 twirled in place like a figure skater, rear tires clawing for grip as she dropped the clutch and hammered the throttle again.
The chase flipped—downhill now, full send.
The forest blurred past in streaks of black and green. Speed climbed. Tach needles rose again. Gravity was their ally now.
Collei felt her pulse surge with every corner. She was driving beyond herself—beyond the line where she normally lifted, beyond the braking points her mind said were safe. Her hands were steady, but her eyes were wide, lips pursed into a tight line. The Legacy ahead danced through a wide left and then tucked into a decreasing-radius right.
She was gaining. Slowly. Tire by tire.
Great job keeping up with me, kid, Shinobu thought, eyes hard in the mirror. It's like watching myself back then, when I was still reckless and hungry.
But she didn't lift. She couldn't.
Collei grimaced. Her left hand flexed on the wheel. "At this rate, she'll never give me the space to pass. She's controlling the line. Locking me out of every fucking turn…"
She glanced to her mirrors, her rearview, the tunnel ahead—
Then her eyes widened. A jolt ran through her spine.
Wait. The tunnel. Of course.
Her pupils constricted. Sweat dripped from her chin. The thought hit like lightning.
I have to disappear.
There's no other way.
I have to vanish from her world…
They flew into the tunnel again—walls closing in, the sound of both engines slamming back and forth off the concrete like an echo chamber on fire. Shinobu eased onto her brakes as the next corner approached. Brake lights flared—red blossoms in the dark.
"NOW!!" Collei shouted, voice sharp with fury and resolve.
Her right hand hit the switch. Thunk.
The pop-up headlights of the AE86 folded shut with a metallic clack. Instantly, the road ahead went black.
The tunnel swallowed her whole.
Shinobu took the right-hand hairpin cleanly, shifting her weight mid-turn. But something was wrong. Her eyes darted to her mirrors.
Nothing.
No headlights.
No shadow.
No shape behind her.
"…Where did she go!?" she shouted, panic flickering beneath her voice.
She scanned again. Nothing.
Left mirror—empty. Right mirror—empty. Rearview—just black. It was as if the Eight Six had vanished into thin air.
Then, through the rush of wind and roaring tires, came the sound she didn't expect.
Not her Legacy's flat-four.
A sharper tone. Higher pitch. Bloodcurdling.
"That's not my engine!" Shinobu barked, jerking her head to the right.
The instant she did, the Eight Six reappeared beside her. The headlights snapped back open with a mechanical hiss, halogen beams exploding into the night like a camera flash.
"WHAT IN THE—!?"
Her reflexes twitched, her body reacting before her mind could catch up.
But it was too late.
Collei dove into the corner, her wheels biting the edge of the gutter with perfect alignment. The chassis sank low, inside tires locked in the groove, the whole car slingshotting forward with violent precision.
The AE86 shot ahead.
Collei was in the lead.
Back at the starting point, Feixiao leaned over the guardrail, speechless. Her jaw parted slightly as she saw the twin sets of headlights approaching from the final set of hairpins.
"…No fucking way. The Eight Six is ahead!?"
The cars charged through the Snake Hairpins. Collei clung to the lead, carving every apex with surgical discipline. Brake. Turn-in. Downshift. Feather. Gas. Gutter hook. Exit.
Repeat.
Amber and Seele stood at the final bend, their faces lit by the fast-approaching headlights. The AE86 led the Legacy by a full car length.
Amber leapt up, punching the air with both fists.
"GO GET THAT WIN, COLLEI!!" she shouted, voice echoing through the mountains like a rallying cry.
The war wasn't over.
But Collei had struck back. And this time, everyone felt it.
The next corner loomed like a predator waiting in the dark. Shinobu seized the moment.
With sniper-like precision, she feathered the throttle and tucked in just a hair closer. A sudden jolt—a faint nudge against the Eight Six's rear bumper. Nothing brutal, just a surgical tap. Enough to break rhythm. Enough to destabilize.
The AE86 wobbled, its rear tires losing alignment for a fraction of a second. Collei's hands snapped across the wheel—opposite lock, correction, throttle modulation—and she caught it. But the damage was done.
Shinobu was already slipping past on the inside line, the Legacy's wide track clawing for grip as she reclaimed the lead with surgical ruthlessness.
"That was just a little tap," Shinobu chuckled through her open window, her voice riding the wind. "Not enough to spin you out—just enough to fuck with your flow. Don't take it personally, kid!"
Collei didn't answer. Her jaw was clenched, her eyes locked on the taillights ahead. No words. Just breathing. Heavy, frustrated breathing.
Far back at the starting area, Keqing stepped up beside Ningguang, her violet eyes sharp with curiosity. "Ningguang… I have to ask. What did you tell Collei when you drove the course with her in the FC?"
Ningguang didn't look at her. She simply smirked, gaze still locked on the distant mountain where twin beams of light danced like fireflies in a death spiral.
"Tell her?" Ningguang repeated, her tone laced with amusement. "I didn't tell her a damn thing."
Keqing blinked. "What!?"
"I showed her the course, yes. We talked—compared lines, braking zones, gear choices. But that's not advice." Her voice dropped slightly, the pride just beneath the surface now bleeding into every word. "What I wanted was to see how her instincts differed from mine. What she would do—not what I would do. This is her race. Her canvas."
Her arms crossed, and a glint of something rare shimmered in her eyes—something close to reverence.
"She's painting her own masterpiece tonight."
Back on the mountain, the finish line was drawing near.
The hairpins blurred by in a tunnel of motion. Adrenaline surged in Collei's veins, her grip on the steering wheel like a vice. Her legs ached from the strain of footwork, but she didn't let up. Her brows furrowed, her knuckles white.
"I have to pull it off again…" she muttered. Her voice trembled. Not from fear—from resolve. "Just one more time."
Her fingers reached for the toggle. Click.
The Eight Six's headlights vanished, pop-ups snapping shut with mechanical precision. In an instant, the mountain swallowed her in total darkness.
Inside the Subaru, Shinobu's lips parted. "Oh, come on… Not this shit again!"
Her eyes darted to the mirrors. Nothing. Not even a reflection. Her ears strained in the vacuum of night, catching only her own engine's angry howl.
Three spectators stood further down the course, pressed against the guardrail. The Subaru stormed past like a banshee, its boxer engine growling deep and primal.
Then—nothing.
Then—everything.
The Eight Six screamed out of the void, its headlights still off, ghosting Shinobu's line.
"Holy shit!" one of the spectators shouted, stumbling backward and hitting the pavement. "She's fucking driving blind!"
At the start line, Keqing's face blanched. "Her headlights are off!?"
Gasps rippled through the group. Even Clorinde's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell is she doing?"
Ningguang's gaze didn't flicker. But her pupils narrowed—calculating. The smile returned, colder this time. Sharper.
"She's created something that's never been done before," she said quietly. "Outstanding."
The final turns approached. Shinobu's front tires screamed under load—overheating, betraying her. The weight transfer didn't bite. The Subaru understeered, just a breath—but it was all Collei needed.
The AE86 surged up beside her—headlights still dark, ghostlike. Collei's tach was pinned past 10,500 RPM. Her engine howled like a banshee, screaming to be let loose.
Click.
The Eight Six's headlights exploded open again—blinding halogen spears that pierced Shinobu's peripheral vision like a stun grenade.
"Shit!" Shinobu flinched.
That split-second was enough. Collei dove in—hard. Right wheels hooked into the gutter. The car jerked, yanked, slingshotted through the corner with brutal finesse.
The Eight Six pulled ahead.
Final corner.
Shinobu gritted her teeth, heel-toeing a perfect downshift. Her RPMs hit 8,000. She upshifted—too early. The turbo lag bit back. The boxer engine bogged, torque falling flat.
Collei, deep in the powerband at a screaming 11,000, seized the moment. She snatched the next gear with machine-gun speed. The AE86 lunged forward.
The finish line was a blur.
Two cars.
Side by side.
Then—clear daylight.
The Eight Six crossed first. Half a car length.
The Legacy blew past just a breath later.
It was done.
Moments later, both cars rolled to a stop side by side in a pull-off area. The smell of burnt rubber and hot brakes hung thick in the air.
Collei stepped out slowly, legs trembling. Her hair clung to her sweat-drenched forehead, her chest heaving like a piston. She could hardly breathe. Could hardly believe.
Shinobu walked up, the calm swagger returning to her stride. She looked Collei up and down… and smiled.
"I gotta hand it to you, kid," she said, extending her hand. "You've got something real behind the wheel."
Collei took her hand, her voice barely audible. "Th-thanks…"
Shinobu raised an eyebrow. "Don't stutter. You earned that shit. You've got talent. Don't let anyone—anyone—take that from you."
She turned, looked up at the sky. "If there's a goddess of victory out there tonight… she's got your number."
Then she walked away, heading toward Xingqiu without another word.
Collei stood there, stunned, her hand still hanging in the air.
Ningguang approached, the moonlight catching her pale hair as she stepped out of the shadows. No words at first. Just presence.
Then—she pulled Collei into a tight, rare hug.
"One hell of a job," she whispered. "I couldn't be prouder."
Collei clung to her, voice cracking.
"Thank you… Ningguang…"