Racing to the Void
Episode 4 – The Relentless Grind
Chapter 1 – No Rest Between Laps
The sun hadn't risen on New Tokyo yet, but KiiiD wasn't sleeping. His eyes were locked on the track ahead, breath steady, fingers curled tight on the wheel.
The Inferno Spiral had been last night. He'd barely cooled his tires before jumping into the next race, then another, and another.
Every time he crossed a finish line, his HUD flashed:
LEVEL UP – +5
Automatic Upgrades Initiated
And every time, his car shifted — new bodywork sliding into place like liquid metal, engine parts replacing themselves with sleeker, faster versions, exhaust flames burning brighter and cleaner.
The system never asked. It never waited. The moment he leveled, his ride evolved.
He loved it.
Chapter 2 – The Mars Circuit
This morning's track was Red Horizon Run — a high-speed straight shot over Mars's terraformed plains.
At the countdown, the crimson sky stretched endlessly ahead. The other racers revved in unison, their machines snarling like caged animals.
3… 2… 1…
They exploded forward.
The first level up came before the first minute was over. His coupe's hood elongated, air intakes widening like the jaws of a predator. The steering wheel tightened under his grip as the AI adjusted the sensitivity.
LEVEL UP – 42 → 43
New Upgrade: Adaptive Aero Kit
Panels shifted across the car's body, flattening on straights, curving in corners, slicing the air with surgical precision.
Chapter 3 – The Chain Reaction
Every time he overtook someone, the HUD flashed again:
LEVEL UP – 43 → 44
New Upgrade: Quantum Boost Injectors
Twin nozzles rose from the back, injecting raw plasma into the engine. His speed spiked so hard his vision blurred, the Martian sand streaking into gold and red lines.
By the time he crossed the finish line, he'd hit Level 47.
And he didn't stop.
Chapter 4 – Race After Race
From Mars, he jumped to Titan's Glacier Rings Circuit, a frozen track spiraling around an ice canyon. The cold bit into his tires, but the AI auto-installed heated treads after his first level up.
LEVEL UP – 47 → 48
New Upgrade: Thermal Grip Tires
Black rubber laced with glowing orange veins gripped the ice like claws.
Second lap:
LEVEL UP – 48 → 49
New Upgrade: Triple Vent Cooling System
Exhaust vents sprouted from the hood, releasing plumes of steam. The engine could now run hotter without losing efficiency.
By the time the race ended, he was Level 52 — the car now looking nothing like the Level 1 machine he'd started with.
Chapter 5 – The Crowd Notices
By the third race of the day, people were watching. Not just locals — live-streamers from across the Void League were broadcasting his grind.
COMMENTATOR: "KiiiD's leveling non-stop — no breaks, no pit stops, just raw speed and upgrades on the fly!"
Clips went viral of his coupe morphing mid-race — spoilers folding in and out, paint colors shifting to match track environments, even the headlights changing shape for better aerodynamics.
Chapter 6 – Nightfall on Io
The Molten Drift on Io was next — a serpentine course through volcanic terrain, heat waves rippling off the black rock.
Halfway through the first lap, his HUD blinked:
LEVEL UP – 52 → 53
New Upgrade: Mag-Lev Stabilizers
The suspension dropped, the ride becoming butter-smooth even over uneven lava rock. He drifted into a curve so sharp the crowd gasped, tires inches from the molten edge.
Final lap:
LEVEL UP – 54 → 55
New Upgrade: Vortex Turbine Exhaust
Twin turbines sprouted at the back, swirling the exhaust into concentrated bursts that shot him forward like a missile.
Chapter 7 – The Grind Mindset
By midnight, KiiiD had raced twelve times without rest. His body ached, his voice was hoarse, and his knuckles were stiff from gripping the wheel — but the levels kept climbing.
He was Level 82 now.
Every race, the upgrades made the car faster, sharper, deadlier. But the grind wasn't just about the car — it was about him. His reaction times were sharper. His lines were cleaner. His instincts were faster.
KiiiD (to himself): "Five levels a race… as many races as I can drive… no one's catching me."
Chapter 8 – The Unstoppable Machine
The last race of the night was Starlight Serpent, a luminous track winding around a shattered moon. Gravity shifted mid-turns, throwing racers into dizzying loops.
Halfway in, his car hit Level 85. The chassis shimmered with an iridescent glow, the body slimming even more, the AI fine-tuning downforce in real time.
By the finish, he was Level 87. The crowd erupted.
They weren't cheering because he'd won — though he had. They were cheering because they'd watched a racer transform a low-tier, beaten-down coupe into a galactic predator in one day.
Final Scene – The Road Ahead
Back in the garage, KiiiD stood in front of his car.
It was unrecognizable from when he started. The sleek body gleamed under the lights, every panel sculpted for speed. The engine hummed like a living thing, waiting for the next race.
The AI's voice was calm, almost proud.
AI: "Projected pace: Two hundred more races to break Level 1,000."
KiiiD smirked.
KiiiD: "Then let's get to work."
He slid into the driver's seat, eyes already scanning the list of upcoming tracks. The grind wasn't over. The grind was the point.