Some time later, they arrived at the wall to D-one.

"I think just turn right here and drive along it until we find a gate," Carl said, gesturing to the right.

"Alright."

They continued northwards a short while.

"Ah, we've found one more quickly than I'd anticipated." Mina turned the car towards the gate, but a guard stopped her, and she rolled down her window.

"Badge or stats?" the guard said.

"Stats," Carl called, motioning for Mina to let him handle this, since handling tolls and stuff was obviously gonna be a dad's job. "Status."

His annoyingly large status window appeared, but he didn't even bother to look at it because all his stats were garbage and so was the game.

"That's a lot of stats!" the guard exclaimed.

"Yeah, whatever," Carl said, already tired of even thinking about stats in a game where ten million of a stat was considered worthless. "Where's the upper track?"

"W—Uh, Well," stammered the flummoxed guard, "you turn right until you reach Conquest Street, then a left and continue on until you see it."

"Thanks," Carl said.

"Victory be upon you," said the guard.

Mina rolled up her window and drove through the gate, following the guard's directions. "So this is the first district by day," she remarked.

Carl watched the colorful buildings with their colorful and ornate signs pass by. Yup, definitely tired of this whole city now. Or maybe it's just that going around with Vol made it boring…

"It's not quite as exciting as I'd hoped," Mina said.

"Yup."

They came closer, and a din arose. A massive procession of people and was passing through the D-one gate along the wide thoroughfare of Conquest Street.

"Good thing we left super early," Carl said as he glanced at his time display, noting that they still had well over an hour before noon.

"I feel foolish for questioning your choice on the matter," Mina said. "Perhaps if we proceed along this street, we'll find another entrance for drivers as we did at the other track?" She turned down a parallel, less crowded street and continued on.

"Smart idea," Carl said as they came into view of a similar kind of smaller, gated entrance with guards that they'd encountered at the lower track. The most notable difference now was that the guards here appeared far more attentive and wore nicer-looking armor overall.

They pulled up to the gate, and the guards swarmed them, with several standing in front and one coming to each side of the car.

"This entrance is for drivers only," stated the stocky man at the driver's side.

"Yes, I've come to compete in the Hero's Cup?" Mina said with a nervous smile.

The man looked at her skeptically. "Name?"

"Mina."

The man looked down at a notepad, and his eyes narrowed. He leaned down and looked into the car. "And you, what's your name?" he said, pointing at Carl.

"Carl. Carl Maximus Weathers."

The man immediately drew back, his expression changing completely. "By imperial decree, you may enter!" he shouted. "Victory be upon you!"

The other guards followed his example, darting out of the way.

"Huh," Carl said as he scratched his beard. "Guess Vol must've put in a word with her old teacher? She's gotta be super famous." Can't imagine gamers reacting like this unless… Wait, is it her or her teacher who's the famous one? Guess her teacher would have to be pretty famous to become an empress, huh. So cool how SWE's evolved to this point.

"It's certainly Vol's handiwork in some capacity," Mina said. She drove slowly through the gate, and they entered a stone tunnel. "I believe I'd like to equip my disguise now," she said after a few seconds of her gaze flicking back and forth within their darkened surroundings.

"Sure thing," Carl said. "Inventory." He took out the skeleton mask and the helmet. "Dismiss."

The car came to a stop, and Mina reached over to take the mask from his hands. "Thank you," she said before she pulled it over her head, again changing her adorable cuteness into a spooky Halloween skeleton. She took the helmet next and fit it over her head. Then she turned to Carl. "It's quite comfortable," she rasped, tilting her head from side to side.

"Looks great," Carl said, giving her a thumbs up. Gotta love game aesthetics. Skeleton body, big shiny, silver helmet with a gold crown on it. Matches the car, now that I think of it.

"Ooh, this was quite a good idea," she rasped cutely.

The car started moving again, and they soon came out of the tunnel into another staging area for the drivers at the edge of the track. A few cars drove at a sedate pace around the track, but most seemed content to stand around chatting here and there among their vehicles.

"I'd like to try a few laps on the track," Mina said, turning to Carl. "Perhaps steady my mind a bit in the process."

Carl grinned. "Whatever you want. It's your big race day, so do what you gotta do to get the win. Might wanna keep it slow for now so you can surprise 'em once the race starts though."

She unbuckled her safety harness and leaned over, hugging him fiercely and nearly bashing him in the face with her helmet. "Thank you so much, Carl," she said. "I will triumph today."

He rubbed her back, which felt like the back of her black shirt and not the bones of the skeleton she appeared to be. "You just do your best, sweetie. I'll be proud of you no matter what."

She squeezed and held the hug for a few more seconds before she returned to her seat. "I'll dedicate my victory speech to you," she said.

"I'm gonna look forward to that then," Carl said. He gave her a quick pat on the helmet, then unbuckled his own harness, opened the latch on his door, and stepped out into the ever-bright sun, surveying his surroundings after shutting and latching the door behind himself with one last wave. The track seemed big, possibly even bigger than the other track had been, and the spectator seating again circled the whole way around, though it was definitely higher than the seating had been at the other track and was completely full, which was also unlike the other track. Where should I… Oh, now that's an idea. He walked to the side as Mina drove off onto the track at a speed that matched the other drivers, her metal-colored car sparkling slightly in the sunlight.

The other drivers and related people—since obviously not all of them were gonna be drivers, just judging based on how many cars there were compared to how many people there were—mostly ignored him, continuing to talk among themselves and watch the track. Mina's car turned a few heads, but she was driving pretty slow, which meant they were just amazed at how cool it looked.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

Kinda surprised there's no obvious microtransaction-type cars with crazy stuff on 'em. Lot of painted ones with designs, but they're all kinda same-y? Guess if you're planning to drive and fight at the same time it doesn't matter as much, does it. Carl walked off farther to the side where there was an empty spot along the track and pulled out his recliner from his inventory. He fell back into it with a contented sigh. Now this is how all sporting events for kids should be. If I could sit courtside like this for Sammy's games…

The idea was almost too much for him, a dad, to contemplate given the opportunities it would yield for commemorative photo-taking, not to mention the increased capacity for encouragement and cheering such a location would provide. Fortunately, Mina drove by, and he was distracted by waving to her.

Time passed, and Mina continued to drive laps around the track at the same, slow pace, waving to him whenever she passed by. Carl wished he knew how to take screenshots—if that was a thing, though he imagined it had to be—or videos—which he knew was definitely a thing but hadn't looked into the exact mechanics of using since his brief foray into researching it had been for a scenario that would never be relevant to him—so he'd have something to remember it by.

Amazingly, nobody bothered him. A few people passed by with a quick "Victory be upon you" that he returned in kind to be polite, but everyone seemed like they were really focused on the sport of it, which he could really appreciate as being another one of the great examples of Shared Worldbuilding Experience he'd seen.

Carl decided to spend more time continuing to remember things that were happening outside the game in preparation for his imminent logout, a process he'd begun earlier that day while waiting for Mina to wake up. He was initially concerned that there might be some difficulty due to how freaking long he'd been logged in, but he didn't seem to be having any issues. He had a lunch meeting with Gab coming up that he still hadn't really made a decision on despite it having been the entire reason he'd logged in, then he was gonna have to go grocery shopping on his way home to get ice cream and ingredients for tonight's dinner since it was his turn—which he was thinking was going to be a simple baked chicken pesto with green beans and smashed potatoes for the girls—and he had to also make sure to prepare enough for Rebecca, because she was still there—though most likely he'd just make a double batch so there would be enough for lunches the next day—and wouldn't be leaving for however long, Sammy had practice today and a basketball game tomorrow night in addition to that thing with her learner's permit, Bobby was likely to be playing badminton after school with her friends again both days, Annie was still pretty stressed about her sister being in town—oh, and she had that thing going on at yoga with…he wasn't sure she'd ever mentioned the woman's name—so he wanted to try being extra thoughtful since he recognized she'd been doing the same for him—hence the pesto chicken, which was one of her favorites—which he could also maybe offer a backrub for since she enjoyed them, and then there was the usual assortment of work stuff, but he had notes in his calendar for most of that, so it wasn't like he needed to actively remember it.

All in all, he was pretty proud of himself. Forty nine he might be, but he was pretty sure he still remembered all the stuff that mattered, even when there was a lot of it.

A flashy white car with tinted windows drove past, and he vaguely saw the people around him pointing. Huh, I think that's the only other fully enclosed car besides Mina's. Looks different from the others too. More like a normal racecar with the spoiler and the giant tires. Cool that someone cared enough to be different, though I guess Mina's new car looks a bit like a wider old prototype of a racecar now that I think about it.

More time passed, and then it was noon.

"The time is sixteen, and we are assembled for the Hero's Cup, victory-seekers!" shouted a woman's voice, accompanied by what was probably the woman herself on all of the screens floating here and there.

The crowd roared, and Carl clapped along.

"I am Hosidia Trebia, ranked one hundred and fifty fourth, and it was my victory to be chosen to commentate for this race by the empress," she continued with a wave. "Victory to the Empire!"

"VICTORY TO THE EMPIRE!" the crowd shouted.

"Today we will see twenty one contenders challenge the undefeated Char hero! Are you ready, victory-seekers?!"

The crowd thundered its readiness, and Carl whistled between his fingers.

"Drivers to your cars! Clear track!"

Carl watched as the cars started to gather up around the starting line, where a few people with official-looking badges where picking up and setting down the cars in some pre-determined configuration that left Mina as the last car. He frowned and was about to get up to have a talk with whatever refs were in charge of that, but then he spotted a slight motion in the center of the track out of his peripheral vision and turned his head.

Vol was leaning casually against a block of metal, her usual white cloth over her mouth. It was obviously her because she waved to him.

Carl waved back. Wonder what she's up to. Kinda figured she'd be hanging out with me again like the last time. Almost feels weird not having her around after how much time we've spent together the past few days. He looked over to the line of cars, and when he looked back, Vol was gone.

"By imperial decree, the driver who claims victory in this ten lap race will be forever remembered with a statue overlooking the gates of Onyxfell," shouted the commentator. "Victory-seekers, are you prepared to witness history?"

"VICTORY! VICTORY! VICTORY!" chanted the crowd.

"Drivers, ready!"

The crowd cheered frantically.

"One!" shouted the commentator.

"TWO!" shouted the commentator and the crowd.

"C'mon, Mina, you got this," Carl muttered, sitting up straighter in his chair.

"THREE!" shouted the commentator and the crowd.

The cars on the track set off.

"Ten laps remain, but Marcus Camelius Belenus has taken an early lead!"

Carl strained his eyes, watching as the dense pack of cars circled around the far side of the track. Mina's car was still near the back, though she'd managed to gain a few places.

"The lap of peace is halfway over, victory-seekers! Are you prepared for the battle to begin?"

The crowd cheered.

C'mon…

Mina managed to move up to the middle of the pack with some clever use of the outside of a curve, and Carl was already on his feet when she approached.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MINA!" he bellowed through cupped hands.

The other drivers began raising their weapons, which were mostly an assortment of various types of spears from what he could see.

"Prepare yourselves, victory-seekers!" shouted the commentator. "The lap of peace has ended!"

Immediately the drivers surged to their feet as the cars continued past the starting line along the straightaway, striking out at their neighboring cars.

Carl clenched his fists at his sides and focused completely as he watched a woman standing in the car next to Mina's level a strike at her tires, but Mina suddenly swerved into the strike, bashing the woman's car and forcing her to sit in order to steer and prevent herself from driving off the track. He sighed with relief. "GOOD JOB, MINA!" he yelled.

One of the cars near the front abruptly began to fishtail, knocking into another car and sending them both skidding off the end of the track and into the surrounding stone barrier.

"Metilia Nenea has lost control of her car after a vicious strike from Marcus Camelius Belenus, taking Proculus Rufrius Glycia with her as she stumbles out of bounds! Neither of them even had the chance to show their skills! Victory-seekers—"

Carl stopped listening to the boring commentator as he watched Mina steer around a pair of cars locked in a fierce battle of spear thrusts, placing herself way too freaking close to the edge of the track and being out of bounds, which was apparently a thing that she really needed to be more careful about since it was sounding like she'd be out of the race if she left the track. He let out the breath he'd been holding once she centered her car on the track ahead of the dueling drivers.

"What's this? Mina Weathers makes a brave pass on the outside of the track, coming perilously close to going out of bounds! Victory-seekers, can you not feel her desire to claim victory for herself?"

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MINA!" Carl shouted again as the crowd cheered the awesome commentator's narration of the events.

"The Char hero is still remaining in the end of the line! Is it a strategy of allowing the other contenders to weaken themselves? Victory-seekers, what do you say?"

The boos of the crowd and Carl, who was now a hundred percent on board with everything happening, were cacophonous.

Mina drove by again, now in the top five, and Carl jumped up and down as he cheered. The cars continued around a curve, with the first two neck and neck as they repeatedly bumped into each other. One of the two, the gold one that had been in the lead for most of the race, disappeared for a moment, reappearing under the other frontrunner and causing it to flip.

"Marcus Camelius Belenus is the first to invoke a high rank skill: it's his rank five Darkness Dissolver! Will Cossus Barrius Agorix be able—Yes, he's masterfully used his rank two Wind Gust skill to flip himself back over and continues to drive, only falling behind a short distance! But as he does so, Mina Weathers has driven beneath him and into second place! This is driving at its highest level, victory-seekers!"

The crowd exploded into cheers of "Agorix!" as the man who had somehow managed some pretty crazy stuff to avoid flying out of bounds sped towards the head of the pack again with his spear raised in the air. Lesser cries of "Weathers!" resounded as well, but then a bright flash of light erupted near the rear of the pack, which absolutely didn't matter as Carl's eyes were fixed at the head of the pack.

"The Char hero springs into action, eliminating three with a single strike too quick even to see! Victory-seekers, are we witnessing the rise of a new legend? But if a new legend is to be born today, then what of Mina Weathers, contesting with Marcus Camelius Belenus now? Does she have the fortitude and skill to find her first victory today?"

Carl hopped a short distance into the air with his arms raised as he cheered.

He knew there was no way Mina would lose.