A Place to Stay
Kai rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly shifting his weight as Ami Sato stared him down.
"I mean… I wouldn't call myself reckless," he said, trying to sound casual. "But, uh… I don't exactly have a choice when the road's in front of me."
Ami arched an eyebrow, clearly analyzing him.
"Oh? No choice, huh?" She crossed her arms. "Sounds like something an idiot would say before wrapping himself around a guardrail."
Kai winced. "I—uh—well…"
A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Relax, newbie," she said, playfully nudging his shoulder. "I'm messing with you. But that was a damn good race."
Kai exhaled, part relieved, part unsure how to process her energy.
Ryo chuckled, shaking his head. "Damn, Ami, you're really grilling the guy already?"
"I just don't like watching talented racers waste their potential," she replied smoothly.
Kai felt an odd warmth at that.
Talent.
Even back in his world, no one really called him that. He was just a guy who liked racing games.
And yet… here, after one race, people were already taking him seriously.
Maybe… just maybe… he belonged here.
---
System Reward: The First Step Forward
Just as he was processing the moment—
[Race Completed: System Reward Granted]
Kai stiffened.
The holographic display flickered to life in his vision.
---
[System Notification: Race Victory – First Time Bonus]
- 500 Credits Earned
- New Unlock: Garage Access
- New Unlock: Sleeping Quarters Assigned
- Bonus: Bronze Card Acquired – Precision Shift (Improves gear transitions for better acceleration)
---
Kai's breath hitched.
He barely understood the system yet, but even he could tell this was a game-changer.
500 credits? A garage? A place to sleep?
And—what the hell was a Bronze Card?
He glanced around.
No one else seemed to notice the floating UI in front of him.
Was he the only one who could see it?
---
"Well?" Dai's voice pulled him back to reality. "You coming, or you just gonna stand there looking lost?"
Kai blinked. "Uh… yeah. Coming where?"
Dai sighed, already walking toward his garage. "To your new home, apparently."
Kai frowned. "Wait, what?"
Dai shot him a look over his shoulder. "If you're gonna keep racing here, you'll need somewhere to keep that rust bucket running."
Ami smirked. "You're lucky. Dai doesn't offer just anyone a spot at his place."
Ryo leaned against his Supra. "Yeah, and trust me—sleeping in your car gets old real quick."
Kai paused.
A garage. A place to sleep. A base of operations.
It was exactly what he needed.
And just like that—
For the first time since waking up in this world, Kai felt like he had a starting point.
This was just the beginning.
But if he was gonna survive here?
He needed to get a hell of a lot better.
And fast.
The night air was cool and thick with the scent of motor oil and burnt rubber as Kai followed Dai through a dimly lit alleyway beside his workshop. The neon glow from the distant street races faded behind him, replaced by the quiet hum of the city settling into the late hours.
"This is it," Dai said gruffly, stopping in front of a metal door tucked between the garage and a stack of old tires. He pulled out a key, turned the lock, and pushed the door open.
Kai stepped inside, immediately hit by the scent of gasoline, old leather, and faint cigarette smoke.
The place was… well, it wasn't exactly a penthouse.
A small studio-style room, barely big enough to fit a worn-out couch, a cluttered workbench, and a bed pushed up against the corner. A single ceiling fan spun lazily, doing little to push out the heat trapped inside.
A mini fridge buzzed against the wall, and a few shelves lined with car manuals, old trophies, and dusty spare parts hinted at a past Dai never mentioned.
"You'll sleep here," Dai said, nodding toward the bed. "It ain't much, but it beats the streets."
Kai ran a hand through his hair, taking it all in.
Honestly?
It wasn't bad.
Better than waking up behind the wheel of a car with no clue where he was.
He dropped his duffel bag—well, imaginary duffel bag, because he didn't actually have any stuff.
That thought hit him hard.
No clothes. No money. No backup plan.
Just his car, this room, and a system that wanted him to keep racing.
He turned back to Dai. "Why are you helping me?"
Dai sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because I know a lost kid when I see one."
Kai hesitated.
For a second, he thought about explaining everything—the system, the floating messages, the fact that losing a race meant literal death.
But something told him to keep it to himself.
At least for now.
Dai pulled a wrench off the workbench and tossed it to Kai. "Get some rest. You're gonna need it."
Kai caught it instinctively. "For what?"
Dai smirked. "You wanna keep racing? Then tomorrow, we start making that piece of junk actually worth driving."
Kai looked at the C5 parked outside the garage, its faded paint barely reflecting the streetlights.
Yeah.
Tomorrow, it was time to start upgrading.
But first—
He had one last thing to check.
Kai collapsed onto the bed, staring at the cracked ceiling.
Everything was happening too fast.
The race. The system. This entire world.
But there was one thing that stood out most.
The Bronze Card.
He sat up, focusing his thoughts.
Immediately, the holographic menu flickered to life.
---
[Inventory]
- Credits: 500
- Bronze Card: Precision Shift (Improves gear transitions for better acceleration)
---
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"What does that even mean?"
As if responding, the system shifted.
---
[Card Activation: Passive Skill]
- Applies automatically during races
- Effect: Reduces shift lag, allowing smoother power delivery between gears
---
Kai let out a slow breath.
This wasn't just some arcade-style boost button.
It was like the system was enhancing his driving in real-time.
It was terrifying.
But also?
It was a hell of an advantage.
Kai closed the menu, lying back down.
Tomorrow, he had a lot to figure out.
But for now?
He let exhaustion take over.
For the first time in this world, he finally had a place to sleep.