THE RACE BEGINS

As the tank rumbles down the city streets, Grace keeps her hands steady on the controls, eyes sharp with focus. Rune, seated beside her, turns and looks back at Mr. Direct, who meets his gaze and nods in affirmation. Grace cheers enthusiastically, gripping the wheel tighter as they head toward the stadium, the weight of their mission heavy but exciting.

Along the way, they pass a group of zombie cars driving eerily alongside them. Mr. Direct, ever calm, leans forward and says, "The zombie cars won't attack. Not yet, anyway, since it's race time—Ewan's race."

As they approach the stadium gates, two massive signs loom ahead. One gate reads "Dead" and the other "Alive." Grace steers the tank confidently toward the "Alive" entrance without hesitation. Rune, curious and slightly puzzled, leans closer to Mr. Direct and asks, "Why would Ewan have two entrances?"

Mr. Direct crosses his arms, surveying the eerie surroundings as they enter. "Most of the zombies are under Ewan's control. They know all the rules by heart. But human racers? We need to be reminded of the rules of the race. Besides," he adds with a hint of a smirk, "we're probably the only human racers in this thing."

Adam, seated in the back, suddenly narrows his eyes, his heat vision scanning the area. "Not quite," he says quietly, his tone carrying an edge of tension. "We're not the only human racers here today."

Everyone turns to look at him, surprise flashing across their faces. Grace's grip on the wheel tightens, her curiosity piqued. "Who else could it be?" she wonders aloud as they drive deeper into the dark, echoing tunnels of the stadium.

The tunnels twist and turn, growing darker with each passing moment. The anticipation in the tank builds, each member of the crew now on high alert, wondering who else has dared to join the deadly race that lies ahead.

As the tank rolls into a wide, open area, the sight of a dozen other human racers greets them. These figures stand beside their armored vehicles, weapons at the ready, radiating determination. Grace slows the tank to a stop, and the crew steps out, feeling the weight of the moment. The air is thick with tension and anticipation.

Mai's voice crackles through Adam's earpiece. "I know who these people are."

Adam, eyes scanning the familiar faces, nods slightly. "We all do."

Suddenly, Grace's face lights up, and she yells with excitement, "It's the other heroes from Nemura City!"

Mr. Direct, adjusting his hat with a knowing smile, looks at the crowd. "Yeah, I figured as much. Been a while since I've seen them."

A large figure steps forward, a panda hero, his eyes lighting up as he recognizes Mr. Direct. With a grin, the panda rushes over and embraces him in a massive hug, lifting him slightly off the ground. "We've been looking for you, Mr. Direct! You have no idea how long it's been. This city—and the world—needs saving, man!"

Mr. Direct, regaining his balance after the bear hug, looks the panda in the eye and asks, "Nemura City needs me? "

Panda Hero's expression softens a bit, the weight of his words sinking in. "Since the world ended, we're running short on heroes. The city's falling apart, and the surviving humans… they need guidance. They need stronger heroes—like you—to lead them."

Mr. Direct stands firm, looking at the panda hero with a somber expression. "You all know why I left Nemura City when the world ended," he begins, his voice steady but laced with emotion. "Grace was here in Ribbon City, and she's the only family I've got left. I had to find her." He glances at his sister, who meets his gaze with the same unyielding determination. "Even after I saved her, after this city's collapse, she refused to leave Ribbon city in the state it's in now."

Panda Hero shifts his focus to Grace, seeing the fire in her eyes. Her smile reflects her willpower. Mr. Direct continues, "Grace wants to free this city from the zombies that took over. Ewan is the last one standing between us and saving this city. After that... well, then we'll talk about Nemura city."

Grace steps forward, her fist clenched and raised in the air. "That's right. We're going to save this city first. Then we'll go back to Nemura with you all."

Panda Hero's grin widens, a hearty laugh escaping him. "You know, Grace, you remind me of Mr. Direct back in his younger days. That same spark, that same fire. You really are his sister." He steps forward and exchanges a firm fist bump with Grace, a silent promise forged in solidarity.

"We'll save this city," Panda Hero declares, looking at the gathered heroes. "And then we'll head out together to bring Nemura back from the brink. Let's show these zombies what we're made of!"

The other heroes cheer, the air now filled with a renewed sense of purpose and camaraderie. It was more than just a race or a battle—it was a fight for survival, for cities, and for the future.

As Rune walks toward the masked hero, his eyes narrow, recognizing both the mask and the sleek motorcycle parked beside her. He stops just a few steps away and calls out, "Where did you get that mask and bike?"

The woman, her face mostly hidden by the mask, tilts her head slightly, her voice cool and sharp. "It's mine. Gifted to me by one of the strongest heroes from the undercity of Nemura."

Rune nods, his suspicions confirmed by her tone. "Shawn and Jin would be proud of you. It's clear how much you've grown up."

The woman's expression beneath the mask remains unreadable, but her voice gains an edge of bitterness. "Things changed after you left Nemura, Rune. I don't care about earning your respect or Shawn's. I respect only Jin, but people like you—who left Nemura city when it needed you the most don't deserve to live."

Without another word, she unsheathes her blade and lunges toward him. Rune, anticipating the attack, summons his massive butcher blade, and the two clash in a burst of sparks. Steel rings against steel as their weapons collide, both fighters steady, neither giving an inch.

Panda Hero quickly steps forward, raising his voice. "Stop! This isn't the time for personal vendettas. We've got a race to survive first. Settle this later."

The masked woman hesitates, her blade still locked with Rune's for a moment longer. Then, with a grunt, she steps back, sheathing her weapon. Rune, expression unreadable, lowers his butcher blade and walks away without looking back.

Mai, watching from Rune's body cam, questions from his earpiece, "Who is she?"

Rune, eyes forward and jaw clenched, replies, "Just someone I knew back in Nemura. It doesn't matter right now." His voice is tight, but he refuses to say more.

A magic zombie then walks into the opening and adjusts his throat "The race will begin shortly in 30 minutes and I will tell you all about the rules of this race."

"Rule number 1, Combat is allowed whenever during the race."

"Rule number 2, even if your vehicle is destroyed during the race, you are still in the race until you draw your last breath."

"Rule number 3 killing in any form is allowed."

"Rule number 4 magic is allowed."

"Rule number 5 if a racer goes off track for more than 30 seconds then Ewan's magic will kill them."

"Rule number 6, the winner is decided once they cross the finish line."

"Rule number 7, if the winner of the race happens to be a human, then Ewan's race ends forever" 

As the magic zombie finishes its eerie recitation of the rules and exits the room, the tension in the air becomes palpable. Everyone exchanges glances, knowing that this is far from an ordinary race—it's a battle for survival.

Panda then gathers everyone as the discuss about their plans. "Alright, so here's the plan: Our four lead racers will focus entirely on winning the race. While the rest of us will keep their focus on fighting once the race starts, so our lead racers will have the best chance to win"

Mr. Direct responds " We got the same plan too, but ours is a bit different from yours, we plan to race and fight at the same time. So you can consider us one of your lead racers too." 

Grace, leaning casually against the tank, adds, "We'll be right there with you, fighting and racing. We've got Adam powering the tank, so we'll keep pace. Rune and Mr. Direct will deal with any threats from the sides, and I'll make sure this beast crosses the finish line."

Panda looks over at his team and then back at Grace's. "Sounds like we're on the same page. But let's be clear: We need to work together if we're going to win this race. Well at least one of us need to cross that finish line for this race to end."

Grace then adds, "We're also in comms with one of our friends who will guide us and be our eyes during this race." She shows Panda her earpiece, through which Mai's voice can be heard. Panda looks impressed and comments, "You've come really prepared for this race."

Grace responds, "It's all thanks to Mai's plan."

Panda then introduces the group to his four main lead racers, proudly showcasing their hero cars. When they reach the last lead racer, a masked lady on a motorcycle, Panda introduces her, saying, "This is Vesper, the Masked Hero of the Night. She's our fastest racer among them."

Adam examines Vesper and notes to himself, "She's carrying another katana with her, but this katana has dark magic energy surrounding it, though it's hidden from the human eye."

Moments later, as Grace drives the tank toward the race tracks with the other hero racers, they arrive at the starting line. The roar of the crowd is deafening as thousands of zombies cheer wildly. Ewan appears with a flourish of his magic, announcing, "Welcome, everyone, to the most exhilarating race yet! Today, we have the strongest human racers we've ever seen!" The crowd erupts in cheers.

Ewan continues, "This race will feature over 100 racers, and to accommodate this, I've expanded the tracks!" With a snap of his fingers, the stadium magically transforms, its race track stretching into a massive new layout.

As the group surveys the new scene, they notice many zombie cars and variety of intimidating zombie vehicles lining up at the starting line: a colossal zombie monster truck, zombie cars sporting giant security hats on their roofs, a car radiating immense magic energy, a magic zombie cruising on a hoverboard, a giant zombie bus packed with zombies, and a massive zombie beast with four legs carrying yet another zombie rider. The stage is set for a race unlike any they've faced before.

Ewan uses his magic to shuffle all the racers randomly on the starting line, dispersing the human racers among the zombie competitors. Grace takes a deep breath, a single drop of sweat trickling down her face. Mr. Direct and Rune prepare their gear, while Adam channels his magic to power up the tank.

Mr. Direct turns to Grace and says, "This will be the race of our lives. There's no turning back now. We must work together and win this race, no matter what."

Adam and Rune nod in agreement. Grace, finding her calm, responds, "I've been waiting for a moment like this my whole life—a race like no other. All the years of training will finally pay off."

Ewan's voice booms as he starts the countdown: "3, 2, 1... RACE!!!!!!"

As the race begins, hundreds of magic explosions erupt across the starting line, shrouding the area in thick smoke. Through the haze, several zombie cars and the beast zombie surge forward, speeding down the track. Vesper, on her motorcycle, emerges from the smoke with remarkable speed, while Grace drives the tank out, her excitement echoing in a triumphant scream.

As the smoke begins to clear, more racers push ahead, leaving behind Panda and the other heroes. Panda and his team engage in fierce combat with the remaining zombie vehicles. Panda, using his immense strength, lifts a giant zombie bus, causing its occupants to break the windows and leap out to confront him. The chaos extends as zombies start attacking each other, driven by their own desire to win the race.

Four drones, tethered to the tank by magic ropes, deploy from the tank and start firing their mini guns at the nearby zombie vehicles. Rune emerges from the side of the tank on his small floating platform, summoning his weapon and slicing through a zombie car, which then explodes in a fiery blast. On the opposite side of the tank, Mr. Direct activates his magic, touching nearby zombie cars and sending them careening backward off the track.

As Grace navigates the tank through the treacherous course, she expertly drifts and maneuvers to avoid sharp turns and numerous explosions. The tank's massive size proves advantageous as it barrels through the chaos, Grace's focus unyielding as she steers them safely through the dangerous terrain.

Ewan's voice echoes through the arena as he announces, "The current first-place racer is the beast zombie!" The crowd of zombies erupts into frenzied cheers. "In second place is the masked rider, who is closing in on the beast zombie."

As Vesper races close behind the beast zombie, the zombie riding atop it uses a long whip to strike at her. Vesper deftly draws her sword, parrying the whip's attacks and skillfully maneuvering to keep her motorcycle intact.

The first lap nears its end, and Panda and the other heroes are still engaged in fierce combat at the starting line. Panda steels himself as the giant beast zombie charges toward him. Just as the beast zombie completes the first lap, it disappears into an invisible portal at the starting line. Vesper, too, crosses the finish line of the first lap and vanishes into the same portal. Other zombie vehicles follow suit, entering the portal as well.

Grace, having successfully completed her first lap, drives the tank into the portal, and the team is transported to a new dimension. They find themselves on a race track suspended among clouds and towering mountains. The surreal landscape of the new dimension astonishes them, and they brace themselves for the next leg of the race.

Meanwhile, in the sewers, Michael carries Megan on his back while Huey, the giant slime monster, transports the rest of the group on his slick, glistening body. Michael looks over at Huey and says, "You've proven to be incredibly useful for our group. We need you to come with us to Nemura City."

Huey responds with a broad, satisfied smile, his gelatinous form rippling with contentment as they continue to navigate through the ruins of the sewers trying to find their way out.