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The Evo 3’s weight shifted forward as its driver, Kyoichi Sudo, braked. To an outsider, its lowered front end would’ve made it appear almost submissive, as if bowing to its onlookers.But Ryosuke Takahashi was no mere outsider.The Lan-Evo submitted to no one, not even its own driver. It was a predator through and through, poised low to the ground with its sights aimed upon its unfortunate prey in the form of Takumi Fujiwara’s Eight-Six.The Eight-Six was the first to turn, breezing through the relatively shallow right turn. Ryosuke noted that Fujiwara took the optimal line, which fit with the boy’s driving style. Even with the wide berth Ryosuke had from the road thanks to the guardrail, the breeze of Fujiwara’s wake was sharp, stinging at his face. Good. Flee from him, Fujiwara.“W-Watch out!” Keisuke Takahashi, Ryosuke’s younger brother, shouted out as he staggered back. Momentarily confused, Ryosuke held back a laugh as he understood what was happening.The Evo 3’s front wheels squealed as Kyoichi turned right, turning far too much and far too quickly for the relatively shallow corner. Unless—The engine bellowed—no, roared, befitting its predator status—as Ryosuke’s ears slightly rang. The turbocharger must’ve fully spooled up. Which could only mean that Kyoichi had opened up the throttle, depressing his foot to the floor. Cornering at full speed like that would mean— “He’s swinging wide!” Keisuke called out as he and Fumihiro, their mechanic, all but jumped backward.But Ryosuke didn’t flinch.The Evo 3’s tires squealed as Kyoichi intentionally broke traction, swinging the car into a four-wheel-drive drift.While Fujiwara had breezed through the corner, Ryosuke found it more apt to describe the Evo 3 as clawing through it. Its four-wheel-drive system allocated power to each wheel as the tires sought for purchase on the asphalt. The roars of the turbocharged engine mixed with the screams of the tires to create a cacophony of noise, a threat and a promise to its opponents all in one.But Ryosuke didn’t flinch.True to Keisuke’s word, Kyoichi had indeed swung wide. Much wider than Fujiwara, much wider than he needed to. Especially since the maneuver had cost Kyoichi precious momentum and time.It was illogical to even an unknowledgeable outsider, yet blatantly obvious to Ryosuke why Kyoichi had done so.Ryosuke had known since the Evo 3 had entered the turn that Kyoichi would drift, even if it was inefficient for that corner.Ryosuke had known since the Evo 3 initiated the drift that Kyoichi would go wide, even if it was illogical.And Ryosuke now knew, as he glared at Kyoichi through his tinted passenger’s side window, that Kyoichi had done all of that, all of those illogical, inefficient actions, to challenge him.The outside world faded away as Ryosuke bore holes into Kyoichi’s eyes. The leader of the Irohazaka Emperors, the Emperor of the Emperors one could say, had temporarily put aside his rational, logical beliefs and racing techniques, to challenge him.And how could Ryosuke, the White Comet of Akagi, back down from that?All too soon, the moment ended, and the Evo’s 3 tires regained traction before propelling the car out the exit. But not before the Evo shot a flame out of its exhaust, a backfire, with a BANG.Even though Ryosuke hadn’t flinched, his ears slightly rang as the Evo 3 continued its pursuit of the Eight-Six down the mountain, moving out of earshot.