As the traffic light turned green, tires screeched against the asphalt, sending up a cloud of blue smoke.
Leon and Takumi simultaneously unleashed the raw power of their cars.
The two vehicles shot forward like beasts released from their cages, fierce and untamed.
Takumi completed the clutch release, gas pedal, and gear shift in a single second, his speed skyrocketing.
Thanks to the lightweight body of the AE86 and its heavily upgraded engine, the car exhibited superlative performance.
0–40 km/h in one second, and nearly 0–100 km/h in 2.5 seconds.
Beneath the roaring engine lay a wild, untamed heart.
Under Takumi's skilled hands, the once impressive engine unleashed its full potential.
The AE86 weaved through traffic, constantly vying for the lead.
In Japan, such a start would already secure half the race — a massive advantage.
Amu, watching the speedometer, grinned in delight when he saw the 0–100 achieved in 2.5 seconds.
"Wow, this American tech paired with your skills… unbeatable!"
Returning to Japan, Takumi would dominate all competition.
His status as Japan's top driver remained unchallenged.
"Not necessarily," Takumi suddenly poured cold water on Amu's excitement.
"Eh?" Amu froze, confused.
"Look, he hit 100 km/h at the start. Now he's probably over 200," Takumi gestured ahead.
"What?!" Amu's eyes widened in shock.
0–100 km/h in an instant?
He had barely glanced at the instrument panel and hadn't noticed the Diomas Nilo's presence.
When Takumi mentioned surpassing 200 km/h, Amu looked ahead — the Diomas Nilo was barely visible in the distance, its tail just barely in view.
"This… this fast?!" Amu trembled.
His hand shook, dropping his phone.
The sheer velocity was shocking. They'd just started, and the AE86 was already streaking like lightning.
Leon's speed far exceeded this, weaving expertly through traffic while maintaining insane velocity.
Amu realized the world-class level of drivers outside Japan — completely unlike anything back home.
Takumi remained calm, analyzing the situation.
A driver of Leon's caliber was rare worldwide, and in America, possibly unique.
If the streets were filled with cars as fast as this with such control, they would already dominate globally.
"Buckle up. I'm accelerating," Takumi said, eyes sharp, channeling the aura of Japan's top driver.
The AE86's engine roared, fuel burning wildly as power surged continuously.
With the upgraded engine, the AE86 reached unprecedented speed, racing through the city with expert dodges and drifts.
The city streets were designed like a grid, allowing fluid navigation.
Takumi's AE86 was in harmony with its driver, moving instinctively.
He effortlessly drifted around slower cars and maneuvered through red lights by switching streets, maintaining flawless lines.
Its black-and-white exterior made the AE86 look like a streak of lightning, elegant and extraordinary.
Yet even with this, it couldn't catch up to the Diomas Nilo — the distance was only increasing.
Takumi's mind was awash with shock.
He had planned to replicate past tactics from battles like the one against Keisuke Takahashi, using drafting and slipstreams to gain speed.
But here, nothing worked — he simply could not catch the Diomas Nilo.
The AE86 had already surpassed 200 km/h in city conditions, a legendary feat in Japan.
In America, however, it was still behind.
Cold sweat ran down Takumi's forehead. He felt the pressure of a level of speed unattainable in Japan.
"Damn, even at this speed, I'm just eating dust? Are American racers all this strong?!" Amu's eyes shone with disbelief.
He glanced at the speedometer: over 215 km/h in city streets.
A slight mistake could be catastrophic, yet even this wasn't enough to catch Leon's car.
Takumi clenched his teeth, a bead of cold sweat trailing down his face.
Amu couldn't believe such velocity could be considered merely "warm-up."
At this rate, the Diomas Nilo had barely unleashed its true speed, holding back to maneuver around other cars.
A bend appeared ahead.
The Diomas Nilo's tires smoked as it gracefully drifted through the curve, its tail swinging elegantly.
The movement was like a perfectly choreographed dance, beautiful and precise.
Takumi's jaw dropped in awe.
Leon had driven the car with a soul, merging human and machine seamlessly.
He seemed to have imbued the Diomas Nilo with life, controlling it as an extension of his own body.
Every turn, every maneuver was effortless, surpassing even Takumi's expectations.
In that moment, Takumi's competitive spirit ignited.
He wasn't just challenging Leon; he wanted to measure himself against the world's best, seeing how far he was from true mastery.
"Come on, American driver!" Takumi slammed the handbrake, drifting perfectly.
The AE86's tires smoked and ground against the asphalt, flowing into the curve with precision.
Every movement was natural, every position optimal.
In Takumi's hands, the AE86 had reached a level of artistry and mastery, a true extension of the driver's skill.
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