Nothing but the Road

The road twisted and climbed, disappearing into the mist that clung to the mountain.

Kai gripped the wheel, his fingers tightening unconsciously.

Ami hadn't spoken much since they left the city.

Neither had Kai.

They both knew—

Tonight changed everything.

The road signs flickered past, the elevation increasing as the cool night air seeped through the vents.

Then—through the fog—they reached it.

The starting point.

Empty.

No spectators. No Apex Serpents.

Just the stillness of the mountain.

Kai shut off the engine, listening to the faint rustle of wind through the trees.

Ami looked around, arms crossed. "Where is everyone?"

Kai exhaled, stepping out onto the cold pavement.

The mist curled around the guardrails, swallowing the road ahead into an endless void.

Then—

A sound.

A deep, low growl of engines in the distance.

Kai turned, his pulse spiking.

The mist parted.

Headlights pierced through the fog, moving in unison.

A procession of silver and white, cutting through the darkness.

Leading them—Taryn's NSX.

The sports cars pulled in flawlessly, parking along the roadside like a well-rehearsed formation.

The NSX rolled up beside Kai, its low idle breaking the silence.

Then—nothing.

No one moved.

For a moment, it was just Kai, Ami, and the Apex Serpents watching from the fog.

Then the door clicked open.

Taryn stepped out.

And something was…off.

She looked like a completely different person.

Gone was the smirk, the playfulness, the cocky confidence.

Her blue eyes were unreadable, cold, as if something had shifted inside her.

She looked at Kai like she wasn't just here to race.

But to test something.

Kai swallowed.

Then—his vision flickered.

---

[System Update: Event Flag Triggered]

Main Quest Progression Confirmed.

Opponent: Taryn Wolfe (Apex Serpents Leader) – "Queen of the Mountain."

Race Type: Downhill Battle – Full Course.

Stakes: Victory = Warehouse Acquisition & Increased Reputation.

Failure : Potential loss of vehicle.

[System Advisory: Caution.]

Unusual Parameters Detected.

Opponent Data—Inconsistent.

Pending…

…

…

…

[Adjusting.]

Kai's heartbeat stopped for half a second.

The system had never reacted like this before.

Opponent Data—Inconsistent?

What the hell did that mean?

Kai clenched his fists.

He didn't have time to figure it out.

The race was happening.

Now.

Taryn finally stepped forward, stopping just a few feet away from Kai.

For a long moment, she said nothing.

The only sound was the hum of the NSX behind her.

Then—she tilted her head slightly.

"You feel it, don't you?"

Kai's brows furrowed. "Feel what?"

Taryn didn't blink.

Her voice was steady. Too steady.

"The weight of the road."

Kai hesitated.

Her words weren't normal trash talk.

They were…something else.

Ami shifted uncomfortably beside him.

Taryn studied Kai, then glanced toward the mist-covered road.

"Don't just race to win," she murmured.

Then—her eyes met his again, colder than before.

"Race to understand."

She turned without another word, sliding into the NSX's bucket seat.

The door shut.

The engine growled to life.

Kai let out a slow breath, trying to shake the eerie feeling clawing at his mind.

Something wasn't right.

The system knew it.

Taryn knew it.

And now—

Kai was starting to feel it too.

A figure stepped forward from the Apex Serpents—a man in a racing jacket, holding up a flare.

The silence felt deafening.

Kai climbed into his C5.

Ami leaned into the window one last time.

"Kai…" she started, voice softer than usual.

He glanced at her.

"Be careful."

Kai hesitated, then gave a small nod.

Ami stepped back, crossing her arms.

The flare was raised.

This is it.

The most anticipated race.

Kai Damons, The Super Rookie vs. Taryn Wolfe, The Queen of the Mountain.

The flare dropped.

And the mountain came alive.

The flare had barely hit the ground before Taryn's NSX lunged forward, tires gripping hard against the damp pavement.

Kai slammed the gas.

The C5 roared, rear tires struggling for traction before finally biting in, launching him forward.

The echoes of high-revving engines and screaming tires bounced off the cliffs, swallowed by the endless mist curling through the trees.

The road ahead twisted into darkness, illuminated only by the glow of their headlights.

Taryn had taken the lead by a narrow margin.

But that was all she needed.

The first turn approached—a sharp right-hander, unforgiving with no run-off.

Taryn didn't hesitate.

She braked late. Too late.

Or so Kai thought.

The NSX's rear snapped sideways, cutting into a perfect drift.

The car barely lost any speed as she threaded the inside line, rotating flawlessly before straightening out.

Kai's eyes widened.

"That was clean."

Kai followed, his own tires screeching as he entered the drift.

The C5 held steady—but not as smoothly.

By the time he exited the corner—

Taryn had already gained a few meters.

Then—

A cold drop hit the windshield.

Then another.

Within seconds, the rain came pouring down.

The mist thickened, headlights cutting through the endless grey veil.

Kai flicked his wipers on, gripping the wheel tighter.

"Shit. This changes everything."

The pavement was now a treacherous sheet of water.

Every braking point, every acceleration—had to be adjusted.

But Taryn?

She didn't flinch.

She was still pushing full throttle.

Still dancing through the mountain like the rain wasn't even there.

Kai exhaled sharply.

"She's not just fast. She's in control of everything."

They hit a straight section, both cars picking up speed.

The rain hammered down, but their speeds didn't drop—easily hitting 190 km/h.

Kai held the gas, watching as the NSX remained just ahead.

At this speed, they were evenly matched.

But that was the problem.

"I can't win on the straights."

Up ahead, another turn approached.

Kai saw red streaks of light cut through the mist—Taryn braking into the next corner.

This was where she kept pulling away.

And Kai felt it.

Every corner—the gap widened slightly.

Then on the straights, he'd barely make it back.

This wasn't a fight of raw power.

It was a fight of skill.

And Taryn was winning.

---

Kai's Realization – The Gap is Growing

Kai clenched his jaw.

"This is bad."

His grip tightened on the wheel as he followed her into the next sequence of turns.

The NSX dove into the apex, carving the line perfectly.

Kai fought to match her, but—

As they exited, the gap widened again.

She was faster in every corner.

Even in the rain.

Kai's heartbeat pounded.

"If I don't find a way to close the gap, I might actually lose."

The next turn was coming fast.

Kai had to figure something out.

And fast.