It's my debut race.
The stadium is alive, but still… not quite real. The NPCs move and react like they should, but there's that same flicker in their eyes, that looped precision that makes them feel off. Still, this is as close as it gets to a real track, and right now, I don't care.
I warm up, stretching every muscle, running a few light laps. My stats feel sharper today. Speed, stamina, power! All of it climbing steadily from the months of grinding. But I can feel something different. A tension in my chest, a hum through my legs. My first skill, Corner Recovery, is active. I've practiced the triggers, visualized the corners, and it feels ready.
The bell rings.
The race begins.
The world stretches into motion. Lanes blur as we launch forward. I keep my stride tight, precise, smooth. The NPCs fall into their programmed paths, some drifting toward the edges, some pushing forward, but none can match the rhythm I've trained for.
Around the first corner, I feel it. The familiar burn of effort, the strain of my body pushing past its limits. I focus, recalling every skill description from the game. Nothing triggers yet.
Midway down the straight, it happens.
The gap ahead is just slightly too wide. My muscles scream, my lungs burn, and my mind flashes with every failure, every misstep from the past months.
If I suffer enough… the impossible becomes possible.
The system recognizes it. My ultimate skill activates.
Red Shift LP 1211-M.
The world bends around me. The track stretches. My legs pump faster than I ever imagined. Every step drives me forward with a power and speed that feels unreal. The air whips past my face. My heart races in sync with the system's pulse.
The NPCs freeze for a moment in their routines. They can't predict this. I surge past them.
Corners tighten. Stamina drains. Power dips. Guts wavers. Intelligence calculates. But the ultimate skill smooths it all. Every trigger aligns. Every stride lands perfectly. I feel invincible.
By the final stretch, I'm in first place. The finish line is rushing toward me. I've trained, failed, adjusted, and endured. And now, I cross it.
The system panel flashes.
Ultimate skill unlocked permanently.
I slow down gradually, legs trembling, chest heaving, sweat dripping. The stadium cheers, but I barely notice. This moment isn't about the applause. It's proof.
All those months of slow gains, struggling with multi-training, learning skills without points, adjusting to NPCs, and pushing this body beyond what felt possible—everything led to this.
I step off the track, heart still racing, hands on my knees. I can feel the ultimate skill humming beneath the surface, waiting for the next moment to trigger.
I never thought it would feel this real.
But now it does.
And now, I know.
Nothing will stop me.
I'm ready.