Volume Two: Life and Death at Speed in the Northern Frontier - Stage Champion (Part One)
Then, another two days and two nights passed.
We reaped a bountiful harvest at the first supply point, so much so that we didn't need any additional supplies for the next two days, greatly speeding up our journey. We endured hardships, sleeping in the open along the way, but also witnessed many breathtaking sights. We sped across the pitch-black earth, prepared dinner amidst the vibrant colors of the sunset, raced down shimmering, crystal-clear slopes, and drifted off to sleep to the sounds of unknown insects... Each experience was precious, something those who remain cooped up in their own castles could never experience.
The purplish-black plains finally came to an end. Looking into the distance, a colossal black shadow could be faintly seen, stretching for thousands of miles through the clouds—that was the Andes Mountains, the longest mountainous stretch encountered on the road from Port Turltukha to Crystal Island. Every route traverses the Andes Mountains, but it is so vast, containing countless smaller mountain ranges, and the paths taken within them vary depending on the route. Our Route One passes through the Mad Mountains of the Andes Mountains, Route Two passes through the Nas Canyon in the northern part of the mountains, and the same applies to Routes Three and Four.
The finish line of the first stage of Route 1, Arkham Town, is located at the foot of the mountains and is the only way to enter Mad Mountains. The closer you get to there, the more broadcast airships gather in the sky.
"Ally, Arkham Town already in sight!"
"I know! This first stage is finally coming to an end!"
Ally was full of fighting spirit, while more and more vehicles appeared around her. From behind rocks, on slopes, and in haystacks, dozens of race cars of various shapes and sizes emerged from all sorts of places. The teams that had chosen different routes finally converged just before reaching Arkham Town! The colorful torrent of steel converged into one, speeding toward the same goal under the world's gaze, and our team was at the very forefront of this giant wave!
"Look, ladies and gentlemen! After three days of fierce competition, the warriors have finally reunited! There were 753 teams at the start of the Line 1 race, and the 70-plus teams you see here are the cream of the crop! They are the leading group! And in the lead right now is— the Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team!!!"
The commentator's excited voice resounded through the sky, and at the same time, the hundreds of millions of viewers watching the live broadcast were even more excited. Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team, no one expected that a team that should have disbanded would become a dark horse, defeating many strong teams that were at the peak of their power!
"Ah! Everyone look! The Abidal Beauties Team is cutting in from the left front!"
Suddenly, a cloud of dust rose from the grove of trees on the left, and a red and yellow SUV with a rubber exterior burst out of the dust, crashing right in front of Sirius!
"Ferruggio's lead has been overtaken! According to reliable sources, Abidar was the first team to find a bonus point on Route 1! That alone puts them far ahead of the majority!"
"What!?" Ally was shocked. She lost her grip on the steering wheel, and the car swayed from side to side, causing Emilia to leave her even further behind.
"That bastard Emilia, she beat me to it... Damn it! Hold on tight, I'm about to ejaculate!"
However, before she could take any action—
A white shadow darted past us.
"The situation has changed! A snow-white SUV suddenly caught up with us! It's almost—no, it's already running alongside Abidar! They are A-018, Noxar Team!"
A-018... Noxar Team...
It took me two seconds to realize, Noxar, isn't that...?
"Nokia... Thrall?"
Ally's expression froze, and Ailin clenched her fists.
"That white one, it's Noxar's... Did I hear that right?" Ally seemed to be talking in her sleep, as if she were asking me, or perhaps asking herself.
"Ah, that's what the commentator said, so it should be correct." After hesitating for a moment, I answered anyway.
"... Is that so... Noxar... Noxar... Noxar, Noxar, Noxar,"
Ally's expression suddenly turned ferocious, and she kept repeating the name Noxar. A kind of power unique to people in extreme rage erupted from her, and the sweet girl from a few seconds ago vanished in an instant!
"Noxsal, Noxsal, Noxsal!!!!!! Alba ahh ..."
Ally roared out someone's name and began to accelerate.
"Amy! Noxar Team has caught up with us!"
"Hmph! You think I'm afraid of a mere defeated opponent?"
Emilia slammed on the accelerator pedal, Freya, already at 200 mph, continued to accelerate. However, the snow-white race car— the Earthwalker— kept close behind, not falling behind at all!
"Heh, haven't seen you in a while, that tagalong's skills have improved quite a bit! But still a long way off! 'Light Path Acceleration'!"
A pink Light Path appeared beneath Freya's wheel, extending straight forward. The instant Freya touched the forward arrow on the Light Path, her speed instantly surged! In just two seconds, the speedometer was full!
"Tch! After all this time, it's still the same old thing!" Inside the Earthwalker, Lewis, the pilot of Noxar, spat out a curse.
"The old method is still the best method; it can both create roads and accelerate things. This ability is simply amazing."
"Luo Huan, shut up! If I don't leave them hundreds of meters behind this time, I'll change my surname to yours!"
"Don't get too excited, Lewis! Stay calm!" The blond man in the back finally spoke, but he seemed a little distracted, constantly looking behind the car.
"You're the one who's wrong, Alba! Focus on this crucial moment! Buckle up, I'm about to activate the incendiary device!"
Lewis pulled out an inconspicuous wrench with force, and a buzzing sound rang out. The outer shell on the side of the Earthwalker opened, and several dark tubular objects emerged.
"The countdown to the explosion has begun," Lewis said, freeing one hand to frantically press buttons on the control panel. "3--2--1--Explosion!"
Long!!!!!!!!
A deafening explosion, like a bomb, erupted from inside the Earthwalker. Thick, orange tongues of flame shot out from the tubes, propelling the Earthwalker forward like a rocket! The fire-breathing beast raced along, leaving a trail of acrid, scorching smells in its wake, even charring the air itself!
The Explosive Burner, the culmination of Noxar Team's technology, is also a mid-level Treasure Artifact. It can cause any fuel filled into it to burn explosively, thereby achieving extremely high acceleration. However, due to its excessive energy consumption, the Explosive Burner cannot be used for extended periods.
In the blink of an eye, the Earthwalker has caught up with Freya, and even shows signs of surpassing her!
"Hahahaha! How about it, you little bitches? You should admit defeat now!" Lewis laughed arrogantly, his laughter extremely grating, reaching Emilia's ears through the roar of the incendiary.
"Damn it! That bastard Lewis! Doesn't he know these accelerators pollute the environment?!"
"That's not what you should be complaining about, Amy!"
"There's nothing we can do; Amy is actually a good girl."
"Ugh, this is so annoying! You guys are making me concentrate on driving!"
By this time, the Earthwalker had overtaken Freya by half a car's length. Emilia was extremely impatient, and just as she was about to increase the acceleration of the Light Path—
"Albababababababababa ah ..."
A piercing roar came from behind, drowning out the screeching engine noise.
"That voice... Ally!?"
Even Emilia couldn't help but turn around, only to see—
A sleek, silver-gray race car streaked across the sky, leaving a long trail behind it, hurtling toward the first two cars with astonishing momentum, its landing point being—between the two cars!
"Varied--!!"
"This guy—"
In the nick of time, Emilia swerved sharply to the left, and Lewis swerved to the right. Both race cars swerved to avoid the Sirius crashing to the ground!
"Finally..."
Ignoring us, who were completely disoriented from being jostled around, and even ignoring the Abidal Beauties Team on the left, Ally stared intently at the Earthwalker on the right, her eyes blazing with fury!
"Finally, I've met you, Alba!!!!"
Alba.
I struggled to sit up and looked at the snow-white SUV on my right.
Inside the car, in the front seat was a male driver with a ferocious smile, and next to him was a heavily made-up woman. The two seemed frivolous, but their movements were actually quite mature, clearly seasoned veterans.
Then comes the back row.
He was a thin, middle-aged man with a tall, slender build. Like the Sena Sisters, he had blond hair and blue eyes, and even their faces bore a resemblance. However, his eyes were gloomy and dark, and there was a deep-seated ferocity between his brows, making it impossible for anyone to feel any goodwill towards him.
He was looking at us—or rather, at Ally —with a smile that was a mixture of cruelty and mockery.