The massive steel gates grind against the concrete, screeching in protest as they slide open. Beyond them lies a makeshift grid, illuminated by the harsh glow of industrial floodlights.
The air thickens with the scent of high-octane fuel and burning rubber. A Wolf Enthusiast jogs up beside Bobby, pointing toward a vacant spot in the third row.
Jax
You made it in, kid. That is a start. But if you want a real name for yourself, listen close.
Bobby
The engine heat is rising, and the smell of exhaust is overwhelming.
Jax
Pull a top three finish tonight. Do that, and I can get you an invite to the high-stakes circuit. You will be racing the best in Fero City.
Jax
Think you can handle the pressure, or are you just here to look at the scenery?
+ Story Quest Added
Finish in the top three tonight
+ Story Quest Added
Earn an invite to the high-stakes circuit
“"This is the one hinted at on the website right? The one with the good prize money?"”
SUCCESS (Great Investigation, rolled +3)
Bobby
This is the one mentioned on the board, right? The one with the actual prize money?
Jax
You did your homework. Yeah, this is the big one. First place walks away with enough to upgrade that engine block twice over, and the second and third place splits are nothing to sneeze at either.
Jax
The entry list is already locked. You are lucky I convinced the registrar to hold that last spot open for a fresh face.
He taps a small, laminated pass against the driver-side door frame. It is a genuine entry slip, signed by the lead organizer.
Bobby
He is not bluffing, the signature on this pass matches the ones I traced from the host server logs.
Jax
Don't just sit there gawking at the pass, kid. Line up behind that blue hatchback before the flag drops.
“Bobby heads out to his spot.”
SUCCESS (Good Agility, rolled +1)
Bobby
The engines here sound much cleaner than the ones in the slums. Better tuning, more expensive parts.
Bobby slides his car into the narrow gap behind the blue hatchback with surgical precision, leaving just enough clearance to avoid a collision while keeping his nose in the draft. As he shifts into neutral, he catches the eye of a Lynx in the nearby lane, who stares back with narrowed, unimpressed eyes.
Jax
Smooth move, kid. You have the touch. Keep that composure when the green flag flies and you might just surprise these veterans.
The track marshal steps onto the asphalt, his heavy boots echoing against the concrete. He raises a vibrant, fluorescent flag high above his head, and the entire row of engines surges into a deafening, unified roar of anticipation.
“Bobby recalls wolf complaints about racers jumping the flag, some otherwise winners were straight up disqualified over it. You trust your Martinique Yellow 3000GT to make up the difference if you're a little slow, but you don't trust the wolves to show mercy to a newbie that jumps the gun, especially one never meant to be there.”
SUCCESS (Good Driving, rolled +0)
Bobby
Keep your eyes on the marshal, Bobby. Don't let the heat get into your head.
The flag shudders, held steady by the marshal's iron grip. Every driver beside Bobby edges their tachometer toward the red line, their tires chirping as they fight the strain of the brakes. Bobby feels the vibration of his own engine humming through the floorboards, a controlled tension that he refuses to break.
Jax
Look at him go. He is the only one not twitching. This kid knows exactly when to snap.
The fabric snaps downward with a sharp crack. While the blue hatchback and a heavy-set truck ahead jump a millisecond early, their tires spinning uselessly in a cloud of blue smoke, Bobby waits for the absolute fraction of a second needed for the flag to clear the horizon of his windshield.
He releases the clutch in one fluid motion, the 3000GT finding instant, perfect grip. He surges forward, cutting underneath the stalled blue hatchback before its driver can even shift into second gear.
Jax
Clean start. That was professional grade.
“The thrill of the drive is an asset, a danger, and a distraction. You try to harness it.”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Willpower, rolled +0)
Bobby
The traction control is biting just right. Don't push it too far into the first turn.
Bobby carves through the initial chicane, the tires protesting against the hot asphalt as he pushes the limit of the grip. The engine note rises to a fever pitch, drowning out the shouting crowd as the gap between him and the lead sedan begins to shrink.
Jax
He is finding the apex every single time. That is not just speed, that is surgery.
Bobby executes a daring late brake, sliding the rear end just enough to rotate the chassis around the rusted shipping containers that define the corner. He snaps the steering wheel back, pinning the throttle as he clears the obstacle.
A rival in a souped-up yellow coupe crowds his lane, attempting to block the line. Bobby stares straight ahead, holding his ground as they door-tap in the heavy industrial air.
He surges ahead by a bumper, finding the inside lane on the approach to the long straightaway, but the rival engine begins to roar louder, matching him gear for gear.
“Bobby considers the length of the straightaway, and quickly attempts to identify the rival car in his mind.”
SUCCESS (Great Investigation, rolled -2)
Bobby
That yellow coupe is a custom tuned Hyena street spec. He is running heavy on the intake to compensate for the weight of those armor plates.
Bobby shifts into top gear, his ears flat against his head to reduce drag. The roar of the Hyena engine begins to sputter as the rival struggles to manage his cooling system on the long sprint.
Jax
He sees the gap. Watch the line. That bobcat is playing chess at two hundred miles an hour.
The rival car drops back, engine smoking slightly as the mechanical strain proves too much. Bobby pulls away, finding clean air as the finish line lights flicker in the distance.
A checkered flag waves violently over the track, catching the spotlight. Bobby crosses the line, his dashboard displaying a triumphant first place alert.
Jax
First place. You just made the high rollers very nervous, kid.
Quest Complete
Finish in the top three tonight
Attribute Upgrade: Agility Good→Great