Race 14 – Apepolis Guard
The morning at Apepolis was pale and dusty.
A thin layer of mist hung over the streets, carrying the faint smell of metal and oil. Somewhere in the distance, engines were already warming up — a soft growl rising with the dawn.
Kaiyo sat alone in his small wooden cabin at the edge of the district. The walls were lined with tools, trophies, and scattered blueprints of Inferno.
He was halfway through a banana he was eating.
The world outside felt strangely quiet after the chaos of the last race, and he could feel a subtle tension in his muscles, as if the track still lived under his skin.
Suddenly — knock, knock.
Three sharp hits against the door, each echoing through the cabin.
Kaiyo froze, still holding the banana in his hand.
Another knock — heavier, more deliberate.
He stood slowly, brushed his hands off, and walked toward the door.
When he opened it, two figures stood outside — tall, broad, and unmistakable.
The first was a black gorilla, his fur shining in the morning light, eyes hidden behind tinted lenses. He stood motionless, his presence inspiring an instinctive respect — like a wall of muscle and strength.
Next to him stood a mandrill, muscular, with red and blue stripes on his muzzle, faintly glowing in the light. His stance was less overwhelming but every muscle tensed, ready to react.
Both wore the Apepolis Guard uniform — dark green vests with red stripes, badges gleaming in the morning light, caps pulled tightly low, boots clean and polished. Their movements were precise, synchronized, and decisive. They hadn't come here for pleasantries.
Kaiyo furrowed his brow, his tail flicking nervously.
— Good morning… Did something happen? — he asked cautiously, trying not to show fear.
The gorilla spoke first, his voice deep and even:
— Kaiyo… right?
Kaiyo squinted, his tail lifting slightly, brushing the air.
— Yes, that's me — he replied slowly, a bit uncertainly, not lowering his gaze from the massive figure before him.
Both raised their hands — metal tags flashed with the red-green insignia of the guard.
— We're here on official duty.
Kaiyo felt his muscles tighten, his tail flicking nervously.
— What kind of duty? — he asked, trying to sound calm despite the tension in his voice.
The mandrill looked straight into his eyes, a faint red glint in them under the light.
— I'm sorry to say… but you're banned from the racetrack for three months.
Kaiyo raised his eyebrows, his tail twitching reflexively, disbelief washing over him.
— What?! — he burst out, a quiet hiss of frustration escaping his mouth.
He stepped forward, hands in a gesture of disbelief, fur slightly bristling.
— Wait… banned? For what exactly?
The gorilla crossed his arms, his massive frame seeming to fill the doorway.
— For excessive fire output on the track. You nearly melted your opponents' vehicles during the last race.
Kaiyo squinted, rubbing his forehead, his tail flicking nervously in irritation.
— What are you talking about? Inferno's system was perfectly calibrated. Fully within regulations. It wasn't even running at maximum flame!
The mandrill shrugged, showing no emotion.
— Doesn't matter. Officials saw the heat marks on the track. You crossed the line — literally and technically.
Kaiyo let out a sharp breath, jaw clenched, fur on his neck slightly bristling.
— The rules allow higher combustion levels. It's clearly written — as long as it's controlled. And mine was controlled. Perfectly.
The gorilla tilted his head slightly, tone still cold, muscles tensed as if reading every micro-movement of Kaiyo.
— Tell that to the melted guardrails.
Silence fell.
Only the wind through the open doorway and the faint hum of the waking city.
Kaiyo looked down, then back up — eyes burning with determination, tail tense like a taut string.
— That's it? No hearing? No appeal? Just three months away from the track?
The mandrill tucked a paper into his vest and turned away slowly.
— You can file a complaint. But don't expect it to change anything. The order came from above.
The gorilla gave him one last look — not cruel, but firm, full of raw authority.
— Stay off the track, Kaiyo.
Then they left — their boots crunching over the gravel, the red-green uniforms fading into the morning fog.
Kaiyo stood in the doorway for a long moment, silent.
The banana in his hand had gone soft, forgotten.
He clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing.
— Three months, huh?
The guards had disappeared into the morning fog, their footsteps fading.
Kaiyo sank to the floor by the small table, knees pulled up, tail wrapped around his legs.
Hands tangled in his fur, forehead in his palms, he stared at the floor.
Thoughts spun like sparks — three months… too long… Inferno… the track…
Sadness and frustration weighed on him, tail twitching, fur bristled, heart tense.
The cabin was silent, dust drifting in the morning light. Kaiyo let the emotions wash over him, quiet, trying to understand what to do next.
He took a sharp breath, speaking quietly to himself. — "I can't waste time despairing over myself. This isn't what I should be doing if i want to race.
I can't handle this alone, but I won't drag Tsuki or Mori Mori into it. I know what I need to do."
He stood, straightened his back, and left the cabin, stepping into the morning light.
A few hours later, Tsuki and Mori Mori approached Kaiyo's cabin.
The morning fog still clung to the streets of Apepolis, and the shadows of the buildings stretched long and soft.
"Kaiyo?" Mori Mori called, knocking on the door.
"Kaiyo, are you there?" added Tsuki, calmer, observing the cabin.
They knocked a few more times, but no one answered. The door remained still.
"What's he up to?" Mori Mori muttered, hands on his hips. "He's not inside."
Tsuki tilted his head, tapping the doorframe with a finger.
Mori Mori let out a frustrated sigh.
Tsuki knocked lightly on Kaiyo's cabin door, tail flicking nervously,
while Mori Mori leaned back against the wall, watching the street.
At the exact same time, near the city center, Kaiyo's own hand rapped sharply on the door of another building, his figure tense and focused.
The two events happened at the same moment — Tsuki knocking at Kaiyo's cabin and Kaiyo elsewhere.
End of Race 14. Start of Volume 3.