Tokyo Drift Arc (11)

Chapter 41: Tokyo Drift Arc (11)

3:00 AM, a street somewhere in Tokyo.

The roar of engines shattered the silence of the night.

A dozen or so brightly colored modified cars were gathered in front of a shop that had long since closed. A group of punks, dressed flashily, had brought their hot girlfriends here. They were chatting and waiting for someone.

Five minutes later, their target arrived.

A blue Impreza WRX stopped in front of a trash can. The driver opened the door and got out.

As if intimidated by his solo approach, everyone stopped what they were doing. No one dared to meet his gaze. After half a minute, someone finally couldn't stand it and shouted, "Damn it, Ito Ken, turn off your high beams!"

"Sorry, sorry." The driver, Ito Ken, apologized as he leaned back into the car to turn off the lights. Only then could everyone see the newcomer's face.

It was a guy with a green mohawk and a cold, icy expression. Despite the crowd, his eyes were fixed on only one person. He snorted and said, "Inoue Kentaro, why did you call me out so late?"

"It's nothing important. It's just that the title 'Meteor of Speed' needs a new owner." The speaker was a man in a jacket, sleeping with his eyes closed on the car roof. His girlfriend was gently feeding him grapes.

"Forget it, you're nothing but a loser I've beaten before," Ito Ken said dismissively.

"You bastard, don't look down on me!!! I'm not the same as I was before!" The man in the jacket opened his eyes, like a roused tiger. His gaze burned with fierce fighting spirit. "This time, I'm betting my entire dignity as a man. I won't lose to you again!"

As if sensing the sentiment, even the icy Ito Ken was moved. After a long silence, he said, "I understand, Inoue-kun. Then let's let our speed do the talking."

With that, both men returned to their respective cars. Inoue Kentaro's girlfriend walked up to the two vehicles. Amidst the cheers and whistles of the crowd, she pulled off her bra and tossed it overhead.

The moment the bra hit the ground, both cars shot forward simultaneously.

Ito Ken and Inoue Kentaro were old rivals. Both came from good families, and their fathers had business dealings. They had been best friends since childhood, and it was Inoue Kentaro who had first drawn him into this circle. However, as Ito Ken's driving skills improved and eventually surpassed his friend's, the face-conscious Inoue Kentaro began to feel embarrassed.

Their friendship ultimately couldn't withstand this test, and they drifted apart.

Inoue Kentaro had challenged him many times over the years, but he always lost more than he won. However, Ito Ken didn't underestimate him because Inoue Kentaro always showed improvement with each challenge, both in his car and his skills, posing a significant threat.

Therefore, Ito Ken had to maintain 100% focus to deal with him.

Come on, let me see what you've learned this time, Ito Ken thought as he floored the accelerator.

The two cars exchanged the lead.

However, the next moment, he couldn't help but widen his eyes. At the intersection, a dull yellow van, appearing from nowhere, emerged from the night like a ghost.

Damn it! Why is there still traffic at this late hour?!

Cold sweat broke out on Ito Ken's forehead. At such close range and high speed, he had no time to react. A tragic car crash was imminent, and he knew that Inoue Kentaro, driving right beside him, was likely feeling the same despair.

Then, he witnessed the most unforgettable scene of his life. The battered van showed no intention of slowing down, charging at him like a wild bull.

When the two vehicles were less than five meters apart, the L300 suddenly executed a bizarre drift. The car slid sideways due to inertia. At their closest point, the distance between their doors was less than a centimeter.

Ito Ken's hair stood on end. In contrast, the driver of the L300 was only holding the steering wheel with one hand, while the other was flipping through something beside him.

Chewing gum?

As they passed each other, Ito Ken clearly saw what the other person was holding and felt his brain short-circuit.

What the hell?! Ito Ken exclaimed. He's still looking for chewing gum in this situation? What was even more unbelievable happened next. The L300 accelerated, overtaking his WRX. Even though there was no intersection ahead, the battered van turned again without warning, disappearing into an alley barely wider than its body.

All that was left were the two racing cars, which were slowing down and eventually stopped. Ito Ken and Inoue Kentaro got out of their cars and looked at each other.

"Still want to race?" Ito Ken asked after a long pause.

"..."

"What's the point of racing when we can't even beat a delivery van anymore?" Inoue Kentaro said, losing interest. "You can keep the 'Meteor of Speed' title. I'm planning to quit this scene and go back to inherit the family business."

"...Actually, I was planning to study abroad in Europe after this race," Ito Ken admitted.

"Really?" Inoue Kentaro looked surprised, then sighed. "Speaking of which, it's been many years since we've talked like this, hasn't it?"

They looked at each other and said in unison, "How about we go for a drink?"

Zhang Heng was unaware that because of him, one man lost his racing dream, and that because of him, two men rekindled their old friendship.

For him, it was just another day of deliveries. Tokyo was known as the capital of drifting, with the most modified car enthusiasts in the world. As the background information stated, these guys usually operated at night. Zhang Heng occasionally encountered some street racers during his deliveries.

Most of them were amateur enthusiasts like Ito Ken and Inoue Kentaro, who would excitedly engage in a so-called battle of men with some chuunibyou excuse. He didn't have time to wait for these guys to finish their races; he just drove past them to save time.

This was his ninth month of learning to drive. A month ago, he had completed the drifting drills set by Takeda Tetsuya, leveling up his car driving skills from LV1 to LV2. In addition, his car maintenance and modification skills had also reached LV1. The car he was driving now was completely different from when he first took it over. He had replaced all the core components from top to bottom, but the exterior was still the L300's shell.

Unlike other drivers who plastered their cars with colorful paint, Zhang Heng didn't flaunt his modified car, as his funds were limited.

To buy parts, he had to take on an extra job. Takeda Tetsuya introduced him to a small owner of a junkyard, where he sourced all his parts at very low prices. Even so, it took him four months to assemble the current L300.

Zhang Heng was no longer the same person he used to be. He finished all his deliveries an hour early and was driving back to Takeda Fisheries when he saw thick smoke from across the street.

Zhang Heng realized something was wrong. He parked the car on the roadside, called the fire department to report the incident, and grabbed the recurve bow he used for self-defense from the back seat.