Three Days had passed.
And with every passing morning, the air grew colder.
Winter was beginning to settle across Japan.
Weather forecasts all across the country warned of incoming snowfall within the next few days. Convenience stores began stocking extra heat packs and instant food. Trains posted advisories for possible delays. People walked the streets wrapped in thicker coats and scarves while breath fogged softly through the evening air.
Even Tracen Academy had begun preparing.
Training sessions across campus had been suspended temporarily due to the dropping temperatures. The practice course sat empty and silent, its floodlights dimmed early for the evening. Notices were posted around the dormitories advising students to avoid unnecessary outdoor training during the cold spell.
For once...
The academy felt unusually quiet.
The sun had already begun dipping below the skyline far earlier than usual.
Classes ended ahead of schedule.
Groups of students wandered through campus pathways while talking amongst themselves, hands buried into coat pockets to stay warm.
At the edge of the Miho Dormitory parking area—
Sat Rudolf's garage.
The rolling shutter was halfway open.
Warm yellow light spilled onto the cold pavement outside.
Inside rested the unmistakable shape of her Ferrari F40.
The car sat partially disassembled.
Its left side rested on jack stands.
The right side remained planted on the ground.
Tools were neatly arranged nearby.
A torque wrench.
Impact gun.
Socket set.
Microfiber towels.
And beside the car—
Sat the silver multi-piece F40 wheels she had removed earlier.
Rudolf crouched quietly beside the front-left corner.
Unlike most people around campus, she wasn't dressed formally.
Only a black long sleeve shirt beneath a dark jacket, alongside fitted pants and dark brown flats.
Her sleeves were slightly rolled upward.
Exposing faint grease marks along her fingers.
Carefully—
She lifted the stock Ferrari F40 wheel into place.
The wheel itself wasn't light.
Even for her.
But she guided it steadily onto the center-lock hub with practiced precision.
Metal softly clicked against metal.
The wheel seated itself against the hub face.
Rudolf exhaled softly through her nose.
Then crouched lower.
Her fingers reached toward the large center-lock nut resting on the floor beside her.
She picked it up.
Positioned it carefully.
Then slowly began threading it clockwise by hand.
Click.
Click.
Click.
The threads caught properly.
Good.
She continued tightening it until resistance built.
Only then did she stop.
Rudolf blinked once.
"All I have to do now..."
She lightly dusted her palms together.
"...is lower it and torque all four nuts down."
She leaned back slightly and glanced across the F40.
Even after all this time...
The car still looked surreal.
Symboli Green paint.
Wide rear haunches.
Twin circular taillights.
The LM-inspired stance.
And beneath the rear clamshell—
That monstrous twin-turbo V8.
For a moment—
Rudolf simply stared at it silently.
Then sighed softly.
"Been a while since I worked on you myself..."
Then—
A soft knock echoed against the garage's wooden wall panels.
Tok.
Tok.
Rudolf looked behind her.
Standing at the partially opened shutter entrance—
Was Teio.
Rudolf blinked once and slowly pushed herself upright from beside the F40.
"Ah, Teio."
She reached toward the front clamshell of the Ferrari and grabbed a rag resting near the windshield.
Then casually wiped the grease from her hands.
"What do I owe the pleasure, Teio?"
Teio shook her head gently before stepping inside the garage.
Cold evening air followed her in.
Her hands remained tucked inside the pockets of her jacket.
"So uh..."
She glanced outside briefly.
"Snow is soon falling."
Rudolf nodded once.
"Yeah."
She exhaled softly through her nose.
"It sure is."
Teio sighed.
"Figures I'd get a Wangan run in tonight before snow falls in a couple days."
Rudolf nodded again.
"That's actually not a bad idea."
Teio slowly nodded to herself.
"Yeah..."
She blinked once.
Then her eyes shifted toward Rudolf—
Who was now laying partly on the cold concrete floor beside the F40 while preparing to remove the jack stands.
Teio tilted her head slightly.
Her eyes drifted toward the Ferrari's wheels.
"You swapped to winter tyres already, Kaichou?"
Rudolf nodded while reaching under the chassis.
"Mhm."
Her voice echoed slightly beneath the car.
"Figures that it's not being used much this winter anyway."
She grabbed one jack stand and dragged it outward.
Metal scraped softly against concrete.
"Figures I'd swap now in case I do need to use it."
Teio blinked.
"Didn't you use the HRE 527's during last year's winter?"
Rudolf nodded while pulling the second jack stand free.
"Yeah."
She pushed herself upright afterward and brushed dust and debris from her clothes.
"Rather than spending money annually swapping semi-slick tyres around..."
She sighed softly.
"...it gets pretty painful for my wallet."
Teio laughed quietly.
"Fair point."
Rudolf walked toward the hydraulic jack still holding the left side of the F40 up.
She grabbed the long handle firmly.
Then slowly twisted it.
The F40 gradually lowered itself back onto the ground.
Its suspension compressed smoothly as the final two wheels made contact with the concrete.
The Ferrari settled into its stance.
Low.
Wide.
Purposeful.
Rudolf crouched and slid the jack out from beneath the front splitter.
Then looked toward Teio.
"Rather than having the stock wheels sit in storage for nothing..."
She straightened herself up.
"Figures I'd use them as winter wheels."
Then she raised one finger.
"Saves money."
A second finger followed.
"And saves time."
Teio nodded in agreement.
Then glanced outside toward the parking area where Rudolf's RX-7 FB GSL-SE sat quietly under the fading evening sky.
"Figures I'd need to do the same with my old Mazdaspeed wheels."
Rudolf blinked while reaching for her torque wrench.
"Oh?"
She crouched beside the front-left wheel.
"So you swapped the wheels on your RX-7 already?"
She fitted the socket onto the large center-lock nut.
Click.
The first wheel was torqued properly.
Rudolf stood and walked toward the rear-left wheel.
Teio nodded.
"Yep."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"Swapped them with silver Enkei RPF1 wheels and semi-slick tyres too."
Rudolf paused for a second.
Then nodded approvingly.
"Good choice."
She lowered herself beside the rear wheel.
"Simple."
Click.
The second wheel locked into spec.
"Lightweight too."
Teio leaned slightly against the nearby workbench.
"I wanted something functional this time."
Rudolf glanced at her briefly while moving toward the opposite side of the car.
"That's already a better mindset than your old setup philosophy."
Teio scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"Yeah..."
Outside—
The skies had darkened further.
The air carried that distinct heavy winter feeling.
Like snowfall was simply waiting for the right moment.
Teio slowly looked around the garage.
Tools neatly arranged.
Spare oils organized by grade.
Extra brake pads stacked carefully.
Even Rudolf's removed HRE wheels were properly covered with cloth sheets against the far wall.
Everything had its place.
Teio blinked.
"You really maintain everything carefully, huh?"
Rudolf moved toward the final wheel.
Click.
Another wheel was torqued down and secured.
"That's right."
The sound echoed faintly in the quiet garage, swallowed almost immediately by the cold air creeping in from outside.
Teio nodded as she continued speaking.
"Ever since I swapped to coilovers and new anti-roll bars two days ago… it's so much better."
Rudolf didn't respond immediately.
She just moved to the next wheel, fitted the socket, and worked with calm precision.
Click.
Teio continued, almost thinking out loud now.
"Now I've got to figure out a Wangan setup that also works for the mountain passes…"
Rudolf blinked once.
Then spoke without looking up.
"Any power modifications yet?"
Teio nodded.
"Full HKS exhaust. New plugs, coils, and twin-scroll sequential turbochargers."
She exhaled through her nose.
"Outputting about 480 horsepower."
A brief pause.
"Although I'm still on a partial tune… the car kicks a bit now."
Click.
Rudolf sighed quietly.
Then set the torque wrench down beside the toolbox with deliberate care.
She stood upright and turned toward Teio.
Her expression was neutral—but focused.
"Now with that power…"
She crossed her arms.
"…you need to find the balance between grip and slide."
Teio let out a small frustrated breath.
She raised both hands slightly, then dropped them.
"Every time I slide though, Kaichou… I always overcorrect."
She mimed the motion of a steering wheel.
"I countersteer…"
Her hands turned sharply in the air.
"…and the car just straightens out."
Rudolf gave a short chuckle.
"It's simple, Teio."
She walked toward the F40's driver side.
The garage felt even quieter as she pulled the door handle upward.
The iconic F40 door lifted slightly before swinging open.
Rudolf slid into the driver's seat, settling into the tan bucket seat with practiced ease.
Then she gestured with two fingers.
Teio crouched closer, attentive.
Rudolf pointed at the steering wheel.
"When countersteering… don't snap into it."
She turned an invisible wheel slightly.
"Doing it too aggressively kills the angle."
Then she pointed down at the aluminum pedals.
"And when you're sliding a car…"
Her foot pressed the accelerator fully.
"…you control everything with throttle."
She eased off slightly.
"More gas increases angle. Keeps the rear out."
Another lift.
"Less gas reduces angle. Helps you straighten."
Teio nodded slowly, absorbing it.
Then she tilted her head.
"What about Suzuka's technique with sliding?"
Rudolf let out a soft amused breath.
"That's more advanced."
She leaned back slightly in the seat.
"Suzuka's technique is four-wheel drifting."
Teio blinked.
Rudolf continued.
"It means she's balancing all four tires at the limit at once—controlling oversteer and understeer simultaneously to maintain a high-speed arc."
She glanced toward Teio.
"In simple terms… maximum corner speed."
Teio pointed at herself.
"You think I can do it?"
Rudolf chuckled again.
"Not yet."
A beat.
"You still have a lot to learn before that."
She tapped lightly against the wheel.
"Four-wheel drifting is all about weight transfer. Timing. Smooth inputs. Not reactions."
Teio exhaled.
Then forced a small grin.
"I'll figure it out eventually."
Rudolf nodded once.
"That's the spirit."
Teio stepped back as Rudolf climbed out of the F40.
The door swung down with a solid mechanical thud.
Click.
Rudolf locked it and slipped the key back into her jacket pocket.
She looked at Teio.
"Shall we head for a run?"
Teio's eyes lit up.
"Of course, Kaichou!"
Rudolf turned toward the garage exit.
Then paused.
"Teio."
Teio stopped.
"Yes, Kaichou?"
Rudolf exhaled slowly through her nose.
Then gave a faint, rare smile.
"I'll ride with you."
Teio visibly jolted.
"R-Really?!"
Rudolf nodded.
"You need feedback on your balance setup."
She started walking.
"And I might as well see it firsthand."
Teio quickly followed, matching her pace.
"I appreciate it, Kaichou!"
Rudolf waved it off lightly.
"No need to thank me."
The two of them stepped out into the cold evening air.
The wind outside was sharper now.
Winter was getting closer.
Together, they headed toward the Ritto parking area—where Teio's RX-7 waited.
The night had begun to settle properly over Tracen Academy.
Lamp posts around campus flickered on one by one, casting long orange pools across the pavement.
The temperature dropped further, the cold biting a little sharper than before, hinting at the winter that was about to fully arrive.
Their footsteps echoed softly along the quiet path.
No rush. No urgency. Just the steady rhythm of two people walking toward a car.
As they reached the parking area—
Standing in front of Mejiro McQueen's Mustang were Mejiro McQueen and Mejiro Palmer.
Palmer leaned slightly forward, studying the Mustang closely.
The paint had been restored—polished clean, reflective, almost mirror-like compared to its earlier weathered look.
Palmer chuckled softly at her own reflection in the door.
"Geez, McQueen! So much for keeping the patina, huh?"
McQueen gave a light chuckle without turning fully toward her.
"I have to at least uphold some form of honor for the Mejiro family, Palmer."
Palmer smirked and straightened up.
She tilted her head slightly.
"You definitely are with the Century!"
Her eyes shifted back to the Mustang.
"The Mustang though… is not quite a Mejiro thing."
That comment hit a nerve.
McQueen's eyebrow twitched.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then exhaled through her nose.
"…Not a Mejiro thing, huh?"
She crossed her arms and lowered her head slightly.
"Let's talk about your Supra, Palmer."
Palmer blinked.
McQueen continued immediately.
"Jun Aero body kit. Eight hundred horsepower. Metallic dark purple with blue iridescent paint."
She smirked faintly as she opened her eyes.
"That, to me, doesn't seem like… a Mejiro thing either."
Palmer raised a finger instinctively.
Her mouth opened—
McQueen cut in again, cleanly.
"And no. The Porsche definitely counts due to its value and rarity."
Palmer froze mid-thought.
Her finger slowly lowered.
"I… uh…"
She scratched the back of her neck.
"…Sorry."
McQueen let out a small laugh.
"Don't be sorry."
She smiled a little more softly now.
"What I'm saying is—how we see our family from our perspective is how we define it."
She glanced back at the Mustang.
"And to me… I don't want to let my Mustang fall into so much neglect that people start questioning whether I'm really part of the Mejiro family."
Palmer nodded slowly, absorbing that.
Then her eyes shifted past McQueen.
Two figures were approaching from the dorm path.
Rudolf.
And Teio.
Walking toward the blue FD3S RX-7 waiting further down the lot.
Palmer suddenly raised her hand.
"Yooo! Teio! Rudolf!"
Both of them turned slightly.
Teio lifted a hand in response.
"Hey! Palmer-san!"
Palmer cupped her hands around her mouth.
"Where you two headed?!"
Teio half-turned while walking.
"To the Wangan! We're still finding the right balance for the suspension!"
Palmer nodded enthusiastically.
"Alright! Have fun out there!"
Teio chuckled.
"Will do, Palmer-san!"
She turned forward again.
Rudolf and Teio continued walking toward the RX-7 together.
The FD3S sat under the dim lighting of the parking area.
Clean. Compact. Purposeful.
They reached it and got in.
Rudolf pulled the shoulder harness over herself and scanned the interior briefly.
Half cage behind her.
Bride bucket seats.
A newly installed boost gauge mounted neatly in the center cluster.
Teio lowered the shoulder straps into the buckle.
Click.
Rudolf nodded slightly, approving the setup without saying anything at first.
As she shifted her foot forward to adjust her seating position—
A metallic tap echoed under her foot.
Rudolf's ears perked up instantly.
She leaned forward and looked down.
A fire extinguisher was mounted neatly within reach.
She gave a small nod again—this time clearly impressed.
Then she looked at Teio.
Teio was already inserting the key into the ignition.
Rudolf spoke calmly.
"Safety equipment… I like it, Teio."
Teio chuckled lightly.
"Safety first before the dangerous stuff!"
Rudolf let out a short laugh through her nose.
"…Right."
Ignition.
The mildly modified 13B-REW came to life.
It settled into a high cold idle—around 2500 RPM—rotary tone sharp but controlled, vibrating lightly through the chassis.
Both of them waited for the engine temperature to stabilize.
The night outside stayed quiet.
But the RX-7… was already awake.
Then—
The sound of a European crossplane V8 suddenly roared through the parking area.
Deep. Loud. Unmistakable.
Tyres screeched immediately after.
A harsh, violent squeal of rubber biting into asphalt.
Then—
A large scraping, grinding noise.
Metal on metal.
Plastic tearing.
And then—
A yell cut through the entire parking lot.
"GOLD SHIP!!! WHAT THE HELL?!"
Teio slowly pulled the RX-7 out of her parking spot, eyes widening slightly as she turned toward the commotion.
And there it was.
A blood-red BMW E92 M3… partially mounted on the side of Mejiro McQueen's Mustang.
The Mustang's bodywork was scraped hard—deep red streaks dragged across the panel like paint had been smeared by force.
The fender and right door were visibly damaged.
The impact had not been light.
Inside the BMW—
The window rolled down casually.
Gold Ship leaned out, completely unfazed, and waved.
"Haha! My bad, McQueen!"
"I gotta go!"
Without hesitation, she rolled the window back up.
And—
She drove off.
Just like that.
Gone.
Silence hit the parking lot for half a second.
Palmer stared at the damage.
Her expression tightened instantly.
"…This… does not look pretty…"
McQueen's entire body stiffened.
Then she stomped her right foot onto the concrete.
"GOD DAMN GOLD SHIP!!"
She snapped her head toward Palmer.
"Don't just stand there! Get in your car and let's give chase!"
Palmer smirked immediately, eyes lighting up.
"Alright!! A car chase!!"
The two sprinted toward Palmer's MK4 Supra.
Doors opened fast.
They dropped into the seats without hesitation.
Belts clicked.
Engines woke up instantly.
The 2JZ roared to life with a heavy, aggressive growl.
Palmer slammed the throttle down and dumped the clutch.
The rear tyres broke loose immediately, the Supra stepping out in a controlled, angry slide before straightening.
They were gone.
A pursuit had begun.
Back in the RX-7—
Rudolf and Teio blinked in unison.
Teio glanced sideways.
"…Uhh…"
"…Should we?"
Rudolf nodded without hesitation.
"If you kindly can… I too would like a word with Gold Ship."
Teio smirked.
"Right on, Kaichou!"
She slammed her right foot down.
Clutch in.
Throttle wide.
The rotary screamed instantly as the 13B-REW climbed sharply into its powerband.
The RX-7 lurched forward, tyres biting, then breaking slightly before gripping again as Teio corrected and launched cleanly out of the space.
They shot forward.
Exited the parking area.
And—
Joined the chase.
The three cars tore through the fairly empty streets of Fuchu, engines echoing off buildings as they wove through the late-night roads.
Gold Ship remained in the lead.
Unpredictable, yet precise—slipping through gaps in traffic with an almost careless confidence that somehow still worked.
Behind her—
Mejiro Palmer's MK4 Supra.
And in the passenger seat—Mejiro McQueen.
Palmer focused entirely on the road, hands firm on the wheel, the 2JZ screaming under load as the Supra surged forward. Even in third gear, the rear tyres occasionally struggled for full grip before locking in again.
McQueen stayed silent, eyes tracking every movement ahead, her presence calm but observant beside Palmer's more aggressive driving style.
Further back—
Teio and Rudolf in the RX-7.
Teio's FD stayed planted through transitions, her semi-slick tyres gripping cleanly as the updated suspension absorbed the road's imperfections without unsettling the chassis.
Rudolf watched closely from the passenger seat, analyzing every input—throttle timing, steering angle, weight shift.
They soon reached the Kumanocho Intersection.
Gold Ship arrived first.
She held a tight, controlled approach into the ETC lane—almost casual in appearance, but precise in execution.
A brief slowdown.
Then—
Acceleration.
Hard.
The BMW shot up the Shuto Expressway onramp and merged smoothly into the highway flow, disappearing into the web of lights ahead.
Palmer arrived next.
She braked sharply.
ABS clattered underfoot.
Heel-and-toe downshift.
Second gear engaged.
Turn-in.
The Supra rotated slightly, controlled slide through the corner.
Throttle feathered to stabilize exit.
Then—
Straightened.
And—
Full throttle.
The 2JZ roared as the Supra launched forward.
At the ETC lane, Palmer matched Gold Ship's rhythm almost perfectly—
brief deceleration—
then immediate acceleration back onto the expressway.
Inside the car, McQueen remained steady, watching the discipline in Palmer's execution rather than the chaos of the chase itself.
Further back—
Teio entered the intersection.
The RX-7 held its line cleanly, chassis movement minimal compared to before.
The suspension setup was clearly working.
Rudolf's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied it all.
The car is stable… more composed than before.
It's still aggressive—but much more usable.
The car barely has any body roll. Its no longer rolling like crazy like what Teio said.
And the car now has some kick to it with the new power. Hopefully enough for Hakone next year.
Teio slowed for the ETC lane.
Then accelerated hard onto the expressway.
Rudolf allowed a faint smirk.
"I'm impressed, Teio…"
She spoke calmly.
"But more than that…"
"You're evolving as a driver."
Teio kept her eyes forward, fully locked in.
The RX-7 surged into the flow of highway lights.
The chase continued.
They pushed forward—
Onto National Route 17.
The night was no longer quiet.
It had direction now.
They raced through the expressway network, engines echoing under elevated highways as the night traffic thinned and thickened in waves.
Lane changes came fast—precise, instinctive—each driver reading gaps between slower cars and slipping through them with minimal hesitation.
As they approached Tatsumi Junction, the chase tightened.
Gold Ship remained ahead in the BMW M3, but the gap was no longer stable.
Mejiro Palmer pulled closer in the Supra, pushing hard through the mid-range, closing the distance on acceleration zones.
In the passenger seat, Mejiro McQueen leaned slightly forward, eyes fixed on Gold Ship's movements.
Palmer tilted her head slightly toward her.
She bumped McQueen's shoulder once.
"Now's the time! Call her out!"
McQueen exhaled sharply, then rolled the window down.
The wind rushed in immediately.
She leaned out slightly, raising her voice over the engine roar.
"GOLD SHIP YOU BASTARD—PULL OVER!!"
Her voice cut across lanes and sound barriers.
For a split second—
The chase seemed to compress.
Gold Ship's M3 approached the highway divider.
She suddenly slammed the brakes.
The BMW dipped forward, weight shifting aggressively under deceleration.
Palmer reacted instantly behind her.
She moved left lanes to adjust for potential escape routes.
At the very last moment—
Gold Ship snapped the wheel to the right.
And instead—
Exited left.
A complete feint.
She slipped away from expectation itself.
As she passed the split, she laughed over the radio/air.
"Haha! Gotcha, suckers!"
Palmer slammed on the brakes hard.
The Supra's ABS kicked in sharply.
The car dipped forward and nearly kissed the lane separator before she corrected the line with a quick steering input.
McQueen's eyes widened.
Palmer steadied the car again, breathing out sharply.
Teio, further back in the RX-7, shouted without thinking—
"WHOA! PALMER!"
Rudolf exhaled through her nose.
"That was too close, Palmer."
A brief pause.
"But… good reaction time."
Palmer clicked her tongue lightly, refocusing immediately.
Teio gritted her teeth.
"Damn it, Gold Ship… why did you have to get me involved in this?!"
She followed the exit without hesitation.
The RX-7 dropped into the new route.
And now—
The formation restructured.
All three cars had transitioned onto the main artery of Tokyo expressway life.
The Bayshore Route.
The most iconic stretch.
The most unforgiving stretch.
They pushed forward.
Shinonome.
Ariake.
Oi.
The city lights stretched wide ahead—endless, layered, alive.
And the chase… continued.
Under the tunnel of Haneda Airport, the world outside briefly disappeared into a long stretch of concrete and echoing exhaust notes.
Inside the Cobalt Blue Metallic Gemballa Mirage GT, King Halo cruised smoothly in the right lane.
Beside her, Haru Urara bounced slightly in her seat, eyes wide with excitement.
"I really like this car, King-san! And the sound of the engine is amazing!"
King Halo chuckled softly.
"Thank you, Urara-chan."
She glanced over with a calm smile.
"You should treat yourself to something this year, Urara."
Urara tilted her head, thinking seriously.
"I know! I'm still deciding though!"
King Halo softened a little.
"Treat yourself to something nice. You worked hard all year… and finally got the win you always wanted."
She exhaled slowly.
"Three years of struggling in the Arima Kinen…"
A faint snort of amusement escaped her.
"And now you're an Arima Kinen winner."
Urara jumped slightly in her seat.
"I know! I still can't believe it myself!"
She giggled.
"People were literally crying when they announced my win!"
Then she quickly shook her head.
"I don't like people crying because I won! But… I will never give up!"
King Halo smiled wider, gently patting her shoulder.
"That's the spirit."
Then—
The calm shattered.
A sharp BANG BANG echoed through the tunnel.
An engine screaming at redline.
Then another.
A sudden violent upshift echoed through the concrete walls.
Urara leaned forward instantly.
"Looks like they're racing!"
And then—
They appeared.
First, a blur of red and aggression.
A blood-red BMW E92 M3 tearing through the tunnel.
Gold Ship.
Right behind—
A second car: a Supra closing hard.
Then—
A third presence.
The unmistakable rotary scream.
Teio.
Her RX-7 slicing through the tunnel like it belonged there.
And for a brief moment—
All three machines tore past King Halo's Mirage GT at full speed, blasting through the tunnel like a shockwave.
Urara's eyes went wide.
"Waaah—! They just passed us!"
King Halo's expression immediately sharpened.
Her ears flicked up.
"…Something's up."
She didn't hesitate.
Her hand dropped to the gear lever.
A clean downshift.
Fifth → Fourth → Third.
Each gear matched with a perfect rev-blip.
The Mirage GT's V10 tightened its tone, suddenly alive.
King Halo exhaled once.
"Urara… you might want to settle in."
Then—
She slammed the throttle.
The Gemballa Mirage GT surged forward, lunging out of the tunnel and into the night.
Behind them—
The situation escalated.
What began as a chase to stop Gold Ship…
was no longer just that.
Another engine joined the chaos.
A white Ferrari V8 scream entered the distance.
Ferrari F355 Berlinetta
And at the wheel—
Sirius Symboli had entered the run.
Urara blinked rapidly.
"Another one?!"
King Halo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…This is getting out of hand."
The tunnel exit opened ahead, leading onto the Bayshore—Tokyo's most infamous stretch.
She pressed harder.
The Mirage GT surged again, joining the flow of machines already running at full attack speed.
What started as a three-car attempt to stop Gold Ship…
had now turned into something else entirely.
A full Wangan convergence.
A chase…
turning into a war of speed.
The five cars burst out of the Haneda tunnel and back into open air.
The roar of engines immediately spread across the elevated expressway, echoing into the night sky over Tokyo Bay.
Now fully on the Bayshore Route, they were running flat-out across Ogishima Island.
Wind pressure slammed against every machine.
The chase had not slowed.
If anything—it had stabilized into a dangerous rhythm.
Up front, Gold Ship was still leading.
Her blood-red BMW E92 M3 holding a hard, electronically capped ceiling at 280 km/h, stable but completely tapped out.
Right behind her—
Mejiro Palmer in the MK4 Supra.
And beside her passenger seat, Mejiro McQueen clutched the interior as Palmer kept the car dancing at high speed.
Palmer glanced sideways, then aggressively leaned toward her open window.
Wind roared violently into the cabin, tearing at her hair as she shouted at full volume:
"COME ON GOLSHI!! JUST PULL OVER SO WE CAN TALK!!!"
Gold Ship only responded with a carefree laugh.
She lifted one hand off the wheel and waved casually like this was a sightseeing drive.
"HAHA! NO THANKS!"
Her M3 stayed planted—but refused to go any faster.
Behind them—
Tokai Teio was at the absolute limit.
Her Mazda RX-7 FD3S was screaming at high RPM, turbo spooling hard, engine fully stretched at its current tune.
Teio gritted her teeth.
"I can't push it any harder…!"
Even Rudolf, seated beside her, narrowed her eyes slightly as she observed the car's behavior.
"Teio… you're already at the edge."
Gold Ship's M3 remained just out of reach.
But then—
Something else cut through the chaos.
A clean, high-pitched V8 howl.
A white blur appeared in Teio's peripheral vision.
Her eyes widened.
"Sirius Symboli-san?!"
Rudolf reacted instantly.
"…Sirius?!"
A white Ferrari F355 surged forward.
Ferrari F355 Berlinetta
It slipped through the right lane with surgical precision, accelerating past Teio and Rudolf like they were momentarily standing still.
Sirius moved up fast.
And then—
She pulled alongside Gold Ship.
Right side.
Three-wide formation.
Gold Ship in the middle.
Palmer on the left.
Sirius on the right.
All three machines locked at Gold Ship's electronic limit of 280 km/h, engines screaming in completely different tones—turbocharged inline-six, naturally aspirated V8, and brute-force German V8 stability.
Sirius immediately leaned out slightly, voice sharp through the wind:
"Gold Ship! You nearly wrecked me back there, you idiot!"
Gold Ship laughed again, completely unfazed.
"Oops~!"
Now the highway had become something else entirely.
A controlled chaos of three-wide high-speed pursuit.
And behind them—
Teio and Rudolf were still climbing into the storm.
The chase was no longer just about stopping Gold Ship.
It had become a full Wangan convergence—
where every driver had already committed.
No one was backing out now.
They exited Ogishima Island at full speed, merging back onto the flow of the Bayshore Route as the expressway stretched toward Daikoku Junction.
The night air was colder now.
The chase was no longer stable.
It was breaking apart.
Behind Tokai Teio in the Mazda RX-7 FD3S, something shifted.
A new presence surged forward.
Fast.
Too fast.
Teio glanced into her mirror—and her eyes widened.
"Now King Halo?!"
Rudolf blinked beside her.
"…What is happening right now?"
From behind, the cobalt-blue silhouette of the Gemballa Mirage GT appeared, rapidly closing the gap with Haru Urara inside.
King Halo swept past Teio and Rudolf with controlled precision, her speed clean and stable despite the chaos unfolding ahead.
Teio's jaw dropped.
"She caught up at THIS speed?!"
But before anyone could stabilize—
Gold Ship snapped.
Without warning, she slammed on the brakes.
Hard.
The entire formation destabilized instantly.
King Halo's eyes widened.
"GOD DAMN—!"
She reacted immediately, stomping the brake pedal.
The Mirage GT decelerated violently, weight shifting forward under heavy load.
Gold Ship yanked the wheel right.
The BMW M3 darted toward Sirius Symboli's line.
Sirius reacted instantly in the white Ferrari F355 Berlinetta.
"GOLD SHIP ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?!"
She slammed her brakes too, tire noise echoing sharply across the expressway.
But Gold Ship only grinned.
"Try avoiding this!"
She flicked the wheel left.
The sudden transfer of weight unsettled the M3's rear end.
Oversteer snapped in violently.
Teio's eyes widened.
"NOT AGAIN!"
She braked hard.
ABS clattered under her feet.
Gold Ship immediately countersteered, stabilizing the M3—but the chaos had already spread.
King Halo had nowhere clean to go.
Her eyes sharpened.
"…URARA, HOLD ON!"
She jerked the wheel.
The rear of the Gemballa Mirage GT stepped out.
Snap oversteer.
All four tires fought for grip as the car rotated through a controlled spin.
360 degrees.
The world blurred.
Urara clutched her seat.
"WAAAAH—!"
Then—
The Mirage GT straightened out again, perfectly aligned with the road.
King Halo released the brake, caught the rotation, and immediately reapplied throttle to stabilize.
Behind them—
Mejiro Palmer's Supra came in fast.
"Holy hell!"
Beside her, Mejiro McQueen turned sharply in her seat.
"Damn it!"
Palmer immediately pointed toward the shoulder.
"We're pulling over!"
She steered the MK4 Supra onto the expressway shoulder, hazards flashing as she slowed down quickly but cleanly.
The Supra came to a controlled but abrupt stop.
Behind them, the chaos of engines and brake lights continued to fade into the distance—
but the tension did not.
Something had clearly gone wrong.
And everyone knew it.
The two quickly unbuckled their racing harnesses and jumped out of the car.
Boots hit asphalt almost at the same time.
Wind still screamed across the Bayshore shoulder, but the immediate danger had already passed.
They ran toward the scene.
One by one, the situation came into focus.
Sirius Symboli's Ferrari F355 Berlinetta was slowly easing into the shoulder, tires smoking lightly from the hard braking but intact.
She was safe.
Palmer and McQueen slowed their pace as they reached her.
Then—
Another blur arrived through the thinning smoke.
Tokai Teio's Mazda RX-7 FD3S emerged, engine still ticking slightly from the run, but stable.
Also safe.
And then—
The final car.
A cobalt flash.
The Gemballa Mirage GT rolled in last, clean but its tires heavily stressed from the sudden spin and recovery.
King Halo brought it to a controlled stop behind Palmer's MK4 Supra on the shoulder.
Silence followed.
The kind that only comes after near-disaster.
Palmer bent forward, hands on her knees, catching her breath.
"Man… that was absolute carnage…"
McQueen exhaled slowly beside her, still staring down the road.
"I'm just glad we're all okay…"
Palmer straightened up and walked toward the group.
McQueen followed.
King Halo was the first to step out.
The door opened sharply.
She immediately leaned back into the car.
"Stay inside, Urara. You don't want to hear the conversation."
She shut the door.
Hard.
A second later—
"Damn it!!"
She punched the air in frustration.
Then she looked down at her wheels.
Four tires.
All ruined.
Flat-spotted beyond saving.
"Four tires now flat-spotted… ruined!"
She clenched her fists.
"SON OF A—"
Her voice cut off as she forced herself to breathe through the anger.
"...Nnnngh…"
A heavy exhale.
"Damn…"
Palmer was the first to approach her.
"Hey… you holding up alright?"
King Halo shrugged, still visibly irritated.
"I'm fine."
Then she pointed down at the car.
"But Gold Ship owes me a full set of tires."
From the front of the group, another voice cut in.
"Said Gold Ship needs to go back to driver's education…"
Sirius Symboli stepped closer, arms crossed, still visibly annoyed.
Teio followed behind, shaking her head.
"Golshi owes me gas money for dragging me into that chase…"
She sighed.
"I just wanted a peaceful Wangan run with Kaichou for suspension feedback…"
Sirius exhaled sharply.
"This is what happens when chaos is allowed on the expressway…"
She turned her gaze to Palmer and McQueen.
"So. What even started all of this?"
McQueen's eye twitched.
She crossed her arms.
"Gold Ship scratched my Mustang."
Silence.
King Halo and Sirius Symboli both froze.
"…Huh?!" they said in unison.
McQueen gestured sharply.
"Right side fender and door. Scratched it clean while trying to escape."
King Halo slowly facepalmed.
"Jeez…"
Palmer shook her head.
"This is so not cool, my dudes…"
The group collectively exhaled, the adrenaline finally settling into frustration and disbelief.
Then all eyes shifted.
Toward Rudolf.
Symboli Rudolf stood a little apart, arms folded, expression controlled but sharp.
McQueen tapped her foot.
"Well, Kaichou?"
Rudolf sighed.
"I'll call Gold Ship into my office tomorrow morning."
No hesitation.
No ambiguity.
Sirius nodded once, satisfied with that answer.
The tension eased slightly.
Then Sirius looked at Teio.
"How's your RX-7 so far?"
King Halo softened her expression a little as well.
"Your time tonight wasn't wasted. You got your first real feel for a Wangan setup."
Teio looked back at her car.
The Mazda RX-7 FD3S sat quietly on the shoulder now, ticking softly as it cooled.
She nodded.
"It's alright…"
Then she glanced back at it again.
"But it still needs more kick for higher speeds."
She turned to Rudolf.
"What do you think, Kaichou?"
Rudolf stepped closer, studying the car properly for the first time since the chaos ended.
Then she nodded.
"It's already fairly balanced."
Teio blinked.
Her ears perked slightly.
"R-Really?"
Rudolf nodded again.
"Yep."
She gestured toward the RX-7.
"The chassis is planted. Suspension stiffness is in a good range."
"Right amount of body roll for control, and it barely oversteers under load."
She looked directly at Teio.
"So far—you've built a very solid baseline."
A pause.
Then she added:
"You'll refine it further once you add more power."
Teio's expression softened.
Her shoulders relaxed.
"Thank you, Kaichou."
Rudolf gave a small, calm smile.
"No worries, Teio."
Behind them, the expressway continued to hum—cars passing in the distance, unaware of the chaos that had just unfolded on its shoulder.
But for the group there—
Tonight had changed something.
Not just in their cars.
But in how they saw the road itself.
And what it demanded in return.