PotatoCornn

Souta Hayashi has always been invisible—just another quiet student lost in the background of Hirano High School. Left out, ignored, and drifting through life alone, he never had a place to belong. But when he takes his modified Mitsubishi Starion onto the mountain roads of Hyogo one night, everything changes.

Death Grip: Start-Up

The streets of Hyogo were quiet, the distant hum of traffic barely reaching the winding mountain pass. The moon hung low, casting a pale glow on the dark asphalt. Inside a modified black Mitsubishi Starion, a lone driver gripped the wheel.

Souta Hayashi exhaled slowly, his eyes locked on the road ahead. His hands were steady, but his heart pounded against his ribs. He had never faced another drifter before, not like this.

The deep rumble of an engine roared behind him, growing louder. In the rearview mirror, two bright circular headlights closed in. A sleek Mazda RX-7 FC3S, painted in black and purple, was tailing him.

Souta's fingers tightened on the shifter. 4th gear. His Starion was modified, but it wasn't built to outpower a lightweight rotary beast like the FC. If he wanted to escape, he had only one choice—race.

The FC3S, piloted by Shinya Kurozawa, was closing in. With a quick heel-toe maneuver, Shinya downshifted from 4th to 3rd, the rotary engine screaming as the revs spiked. Flames briefly spat from the exhaust.

Souta knew he couldn't let the FC catch him before the next corner. He braked hard, clutch-kicked, and yanked the wheel. The Starion's rear tires lost traction instantly, sending the car into a sideways slide.

Tires screeched. Smoke curled from the rear as the Starion held the drift, mere inches from the guardrail.

Shinya smirked beneath his mask. "Not bad." He countered with a seamless feint drift, flicking the FC left before snapping right. His car glided through the corner effortlessly, gaining on Souta.

Inside the Starion, Souta kept his focus. He feathered the throttle to control the slide before executing a perfect transition, swinging the car into the next corner without losing speed. The FC was still behind him.

Shinya was impressed. Souta's lines were clean—too clean for a beginner.

"You've done this before," Shinya murmured, shifting to 5th gear on the straight.

Souta swallowed hard. He had never been in an actual street battle before, but he had spent countless nights practicing alone on these roads.

The next corner was a tight hairpin. Souta knew this was where the FC would try to overtake him.

Just as the FC made a move to pass on the inside, Souta executed a brake drift, sending his Starion into an early slide. The timing was perfect—blocking the inside lane just before the FC could slip through.

Shinya narrowed his eyes. This kid was good.

The chase continued through the winding pass, both cars pushing the limits of grip and control. Every gear shift, every drift, every countersteer—Souta was matching Shinya move for move.

But then, the road opened into a long straight. The FC3S had more power.

Souta slammed into 5th gear, but the rotary-powered Mazda surged forward, overtaking him with ease.

As they pulled into a roadside turnout, Shinya stepped out, his faceless mask reflecting the moonlight. Souta climbed out, breathless.

Shinya examined the Starion. "This isn't a car meant for drifting."

"You've got talent." He extended a gloved hand. "Ever thought about joining a team?"

Souta hesitated, then shook his hand.

That night, the Shadow Alliance gained a new member.

The Night Chase