The exit of the village road was close.
Just a kilometer away.
For supercars tearing down the straight at insane speeds, that was less than ten seconds of racing time.
Leon's eyes locked on the exit as he slammed the Silver Marauder's accelerator to the floor. The nuclear-powered beast roared like a wild god, unleashing raw fury across the asphalt.
Dominic, heart pounding, made a desperate move—he swung his Hennessey Venom across the middle of the road, blocking Leon's path.
Leon hadn't even spoken yet, but his fans watching the live broadcast were already outraged:
"Dirty move! Get out of the way!"
"Shit! If you've got guts, race fair!"
"Blocking? That's cheap as hell!"
"This isn't a fair race anymore!"
They howled at their screens, hurling insults at Dominic.
If Dominic could've heard them, he might have coughed blood from frustration. Blocking was a standard racer's tactic, used countless times to deny overtakes. It usually worked. But here, under the spotlight, the audience only saw him as a shameless coward.
Leon, however, wasn't fazed. To him, this was nothing but a child's trick.
"You think you can block me? Not a chance." His lips curled into a cold smile as his hand flipped open the nitrous oxide switch cover.
Without hesitation, he slammed the button.
Eight exhaust pipes at the Marauder's rear spat out plumes of blazing blue fire. The car surged forward with terrifying force, like eight dragons soaring into the heavens. The sudden acceleration pinned Leon hard against his seat, every inch of his body thrumming with adrenaline and raw power.
Laughing madly, Leon hurled the Silver Marauder straight at the Venom.
Dominic's face went pale. "This guy's insane… he's going to ram me head-on?!"
In a head-to-head collision, maybe Dominic wouldn't flinch. But tailgating at these speeds? That was suicide. If Leon slammed into him, Dominic's car would lose balance, spiral, and crash. At this velocity, even the smallest mistake meant a fiery death.
Dominic gritted his teeth—but at the last second, he had no choice but to swerve aside.
The Silver Marauder shot past the Venom with only a hair's breadth between them—barely the thickness of a card separating the two cars.
"HAHAHAHA!" Leon's laughter echoed over the roar of the engine. The thrill of forcing Dominic to yield at the final moment sent waves of ecstasy through him. Beating Dominic wasn't just about speed—it was about breaking his will.
"It feels good to win like this," Leon grinned, savoring the rush.
Once ahead, he flicked the nitrous off and pulled a perfect drift at the exit. Tires screeched against the pavement, showering sparks, as the Silver Marauder slid gracefully out of the village road and onto the highway.
The maneuver was flawless—smooth as a dancer's step, lethal as a swordsman's strike. Even Dominic was left staring, dumbfounded.
When his turn came, Dominic braked, yanked his handbrake, and jerked into the drift. But his Venom nearly lost control, swerving dangerously close to the guardrail before finally pulling through. Heavy-handed. Clumsy.
If Leon was a swordsman, Dominic was just a woodcutter hacking at logs. One had finesse and artistry; the other brute force and no style.
The audience roared with laughter at the contrast.
"Look at Leon's drift—smooth as silk!"
"The Venom looks pathetic next to him."
"No one can match Leon. NO ONE."
"I'm officially a fan—this guy needs to livestream every race!"
Public opinion was clear. Leon wasn't just a contender anymore—he was the racer everyone rooted for.
Now the final showdown began. They burst onto the highway, engines screaming at full throttle. Even a kilometer away, the roar could be heard like rolling thunder.
Letty followed behind, her Medusa trailing but holding strong. Though slightly slower, her car's handling was razor-sharp—her drift lines were graceful, nearly on Leon's level. Medusa's performance shone through on the turns, though it lacked Leon's insane top-end speed.
From her aerial vantage point, Trish's camera captured it all—the Silver Marauder blasting ahead, leaving Dominic and Letty fighting to catch up.
On a straight road, the Marauder's absurd power was unmatched. The gap widened with every second.
Still, Letty pushed the Medusa to its limit, screaming with adrenaline, enjoying every bit of the rush.
Dominic, however, grew restless. Seeing himself overtaken by both Leon and Letty, fury burned in his chest.
He slammed his own nitrous switch.
The Venom howled, its engine shrieking as it shot forward like a rocket. Dominic was slammed into his seatback, veins bulging from the strain. The Venom clawed past the Medusa, biting at Leon's heels.
For a moment, it seemed like a true duel for the crown was about to erupt.
But Leon, glancing at his rearview mirror, only smirked.
The Venom was burning nitrous at unsustainable levels. With its engine straining to the brink, it couldn't keep that speed for long. The Silver Marauder, on the other hand, was built to defy limits.
Leon eased his grip on the wheel, utterly calm. "Run your engine into the ground, Dominic. I'll be waiting at the finish line."
Ahead, the skyline of San Francisco began to appear. Victory was within reach.
~~----------------------
Patreon Advance Chapters:
[email protected] / Dreamer20