The Shadow Invitation

The crisp night air settled over the roadside turnout, the scent of burnt rubber lingering in the air. Souta Hayashi stood beside his Starion, his heartbeat still steadying after the intense chase.

Across from him, Shinya Kurozawa leaned against his Mazda RX-7 FC3S, arms crossed, his faceless mask reflecting the dim glow of the streetlights.

"You kept up with me longer than I expected." His voice was calm, but there was a clear tone of approval beneath it.

Souta didn't know how to respond. He wasn't used to praise, let alone from a well-known street racer.

Shinya pushed off the FC and walked over. "You don't just have talent—you have control." He tilted his head slightly. "Who taught you?"

Souta hesitated. "No one."

Shinya was silent for a moment before nodding. "Self-taught, huh?" He glanced at the Starion. "That makes it even more impressive."

He turned back to Souta. "I want you to join my team."

Souta blinked. "Your team?"

Shinya nodded. "Shadow Alliance."

That name. He had heard whispers about them. A group of unknown drifters who emerged from nowhere, dominating races without warning—like shadows on the mountain roads.

"Why me?" Souta finally asked.

Shinya chuckled. "Because you're like us. A lone driver. A ghost on the road. No one notices your skill, but it's there." He turned back toward his FC. "Shadow Alliance isn't just a team. We're a crew of outcasts, each with our own reason to be here."

Souta watched as Shinya reached into his car and pulled something out—a black and purple jacket with a stylized emblem of a shadowy figure drifting.

Shinya tossed it to him. "That's yours now. If you accept."

Souta hesitated. He had always been alone. Always unseen. But now—someone had acknowledged him.

He looked at the jacket, then at his Starion. He had chased the thrill of drifting for years, waiting for something to push him forward.

Slowly, he slipped the jacket on.

Shinya nodded. "Welcome to Shadow Alliance, Oni."

Souta tensed at the name. "Oni?"

Shinya smirked beneath his mask. "Every member has a codename. You're the only one wearing an Oni mask. It fits."

Souta touched the mask hanging from his belt. He had bought it on a whim long ago, never thinking it would have meaning. But now—it did.

For the first time, he wasn't drifting alone.