_ Is that the same white car from the video!?
(Sam): Yes and no.
_ Stop speaking in riddles.
_ By the way, I picked up that habit from you.
_ So it's not the same car, but another one of the same model?
_ No, actually it's the exact same car. But the driver is the younger brother of the one who beat you and Alia.
_ But I won that race! How did he beat me?
_ You won because you're a crazy bastard… If this weren't a no-rules free race, he would've won with that car.
_ But I'm more skilled than him.
_ My friend, you couldn't beat him in the Sorai black car.
_ Who's Sorai?
_ Remember those two guys who were with us? The bald muscular one is George, and the one with the black hair tied back is Sorai.
_ I'll remember that: "Skinny = Sorai, Muscles = George… got it."
...< Sound of fireworks >...
...< Sound of burning tires skidding >...
A wave of smoke.
Zeus and Sam were cheering for their teammate Alia in the green car.
As Zeus was excited to see a head-to-head race between the green and silver cars, he quickly realized something was off.
The green car was leaving all the other cars behind, as if on a completely different level.
And the silver car was far from the one Zeus had seen in the video — same specs, but the driver was clearly less skilled.
Zeus glanced at Sam, who was whistling and shouting Alia's name, then gave him a light smack on the back of the head.
_ What the…!?
_ Don't you both feel bad for bullying these poor kids?
_ Buddy, you got it all wrong… Alia's racing here to try and break the record.
_ Then why not do it at a different time?
_ Well, racing fans really wanted Alia to join the rookie races, even though she's not an official competitor.
Sam meant by "not an official competitor" that the car finishing right behind the green car would automatically take first place.
(Zeus): So that's how it is… actually, this will motivate the rookies to improve and learn from her — and more importantly, it'll keep their egos in check.
_ I don't think that's true… that kid in the silver car is the most arrogant racer I've ever seen.
(Zeus): Was his brother like that too? Speaking of which, where is his brother now?
_ You saw how he shoved you off the track in that dangerous spot… the older brother is way worse. I heard he's on a mission abroad right now.
_ A mission?
_ Yeah, the guy's a mech pilot in Special Unit 291.
In this city, there were three special units: 291, 292, and 293.
_ Look at this— Sam pointed to the giant screen above them —she's about to do the "Zeus Slide."
_ The what now?
Zeus saw the green car using its side-balancing system to ride along the tilted wall of the curved road — mimicking the exact maneuver he'd done in his previous race.
_ Was I the first to ever pull off that move?
_ Yup, it became a legendary technique in the area… watch this.
Twenty seconds later, as the other cars approached the curved road, the two lead cars also performed the "Zeus Slide," widening the gap between them and the rest.
Although their slides weren't as smooth as the green car's — and they didn't ride the full wall — this modified version was still enough to give them at least a 15-meter advantage compared to the usual speed-reduction-and-drift approach.
---
[One Hour Later]
The race had ended a while ago, and Zeus had left the area with Sorai, who happened to be heading out early as well.
After Sorai dropped Zeus off near Mount Raktes, where his family lived, Zeus thanked him and quietly snuck back home.
---
[Second Floor of Zeus' House — Main Hallway]
_ What were you doing out this late?
Zeus raised an eyebrow at his sister and kept walking toward his room, ignoring her.
_ Don't ignore me or I'll tell Mom!
_ Little one, ever heard of sleep? Why are you always so energetic at night?
_ I'm 17! I'm an adult, not a kid!
_ Big kid, what's the difference… Wait! No matter how I look at you, you don't look older than 14.
Zeus laughed as he closed his door, blocking out her rage-filled yells — her small stature was a topic that should never be mentioned in front of her.