Vin blinked, and he was mounted on his board and rocketing through the courtyard. Not another racer was in sight while he blasted past the high hedges and colorful flowerbeds.

Upon sighting a stone bench, he sprung up and slid the board's tail across the flat surface, also known as a tail-slide.

He pedaled violently, accelerating down the path. The campus opened again at the end of the courtyard, and the greenery shifted into more shops and facilities. He hadn't improved his standing but could see a roaring battle persisting far ahead.

Point two brought them around the right side of a sizeable three-story cafe. Khaki in color, mostly glass, with a red brick base. It had an outdoor patio where few people sat and drank from fancy glass cups.

It was the kind of establishment Vin would usually feel out of place because everyone there dressed like a door-to-door salesman. Of course, a student campus cafe was different from a public one.

Regardless of who occupied it, Vin was going in. He didn't consider a strategy; in fact, his thought process was very elementary. It would take longer to ride around the building, so just skate through the center. Plain and simple.

The open patio was spacious enough. Vin bolted past the tables and their inhabitants, then headed for the entrance. At the same time, a female student invested in her smartphone exited the cafe. She looked up and jerked when she saw Vin coming but quickly jumped to the side and held the door wide open. As Vin dashed inside, she shouted, "First place just reached the library, good luck!"

He was too honed in to consider how she knew that information. But being a competitive campus, cameras would broadcast public competitions for others to see.

Vin's board rolled smoother on the store's dark Porcelain tiles. He entered the front of the shop, which was practically empty, minus a few who were in the process of leaving.

Likely to depart for the assembly, a dozen students crowded the entrances and exits of the warmly lit cafe. A mere second after entry, Vin had to snap hard left to narrowly avoid the person in his line. His quick evasion threw him just four feet from another guest who held a box cup tray.

Worried the front of his deck would slam into the unalert woman's legs, Vin stomped his right foot on the head of his board which damaged and skidded on the floor. His chest jutted out like a superhero, and his spine curved back so as not to fling forward into the stranger.

With a final, abrupt haul of his body, Vin halted, his head suspended only inches away from her flustered face.

"Sorry," he apologized, open-mouth breathing like a manic and glaring from adrenalin. The startled student's lips parted, but before they could speak, Vin scrambled off.

Promptly, getting back on track, he rode to the rear of the shop, where a second exit waited. That door was closed, so he hopped off his board and, with exorbitant power, shoulder tackled the transparent door. An intense crack ejected, the glass panel shattered, and the frame itself snapped and blasted off its hinges. The door rocketed yards forward like it'd been hit by a mature bull, mangled and broken.

"Sick!" Vin yelled, beating his solid chest so it'd drum. He returned to his board immediately after and continued the race. So engrossed that for the time, he actually believed he'd fractured metal.

Details like property damage were trivial, and the mission became to win. Vin managed to save time by cutting through the shop and spotted the end of the pack.

They were in the midst of tearing each other apart with nanotech abilities, and a new person dropped out every half minute.

Vin checked his digital watch. His health points were still untouched, and he had 240 SP(Style Points). That meant he could sustain the random nanosphere ability for 4 minutes.

He filed into the rear of the racers, withdrew the black steel orb, then activated it.

"Miyo, let's do thi-," he started but stopped following the realization his usual summon was absent. It was the first time he'd ever raced without his companion, which dampened his spirit.

Vin's mug declined, looking disappointedly at the millions of nanobots forming around his right forearm. First, a bright yellow circle was created, then a complex magic circle was drawn at the center of the ring.

"A magic type," he mumbled, eyeing the glowing circle-shaped ability. Since it was borrowed, there wasn't a description, and he had to figure out its usage in action.

The race approached the final two checkmarks, the library, and the finish line, so Vin picked up the pace even more.

Kicking off the concrete, stabbing through wind walls, and breathing so hard it was audible.

The white, contemporary, shiny, multi-story library came into view fast. Vin could see at least six racers ahead of him, much more exhausted than himself. "We'll run right through," he said aloud. Speaking with 'we' was habitual because Miyo was typically at his side.

Without preparation, he hastily entered the ongoing fray. A rear racer scowled at him as soon as he passed, then they outheld their hand. The stranger's nails released an emerald glow, and when they flexed their fingers, the claws grew to the size of kitchen knives. With a single swoop, they darted toward, then slashed their hand toward Vin.

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Urgently in need of his abilities value, Vin raised his right wrist. The green claws clashed with the magic circle on his arm, and a golden shockwave reflected and repelled the attack. Not just their hand, but the racer was knocked off balance by the sudden blast.

"A shield?" Vin uttered, peering at the occult formation.

He used their lack of equilibrium as an opportunity and jolted ahead. He swiftly navigated passed more racers, using the identified shield to reflect incoming attacks. Since he was separated most of the race, he had plenty of SP to spare, unlike the competition who'd been in combat.

Near the center of the library's base was the entrance. A mandatory shortcut if he wanted to catch up to first place.

He skated up the access ramp, then zoomed through a very responsive, automatic door. The sensory entrance closed behind him, but he heard it open again only seconds later.

Intent on moving as steady and fast as possible, his mind single-tracked on climbing the ranks. So much he didn't hear the wheels rolling at his hind.

A rapid set of several swooshes sounded. Before he could investigate, a minor pain stuck him in the center of his back. Five bronze-colored needles missed, passed him, then struck the doorway that led to the next room. Vin's head pitched rearward, and he glimpsed a racer hot on his trail; next to them was a poodle-sized, bronze-plated porcupine.

It fired even more needles, ensuing the command of its user, so Vin turned, pivoted on his board, and skated backward while using the shield to deflect the attacks.

"Nice thinking. It didn't even occur to me to come up here," complimented the pursuer.

They both fired in the main library at unsustainable speeds, where dozens of rows of towering shelves stood. Vin had to return forward to properly steer but kept his right arm and shield at his rear.

A red "exit" sign at the back of the building invited him, and he fled down one of the many isles. His stalker followed and resumed their onslaught of attacks.

The constant pinch in his back reminded him he'd already been pierced. Stray needles clung like authentically dangerous objects, sticking to books, wood, and walls.

Mid escape, his smartwatch chimed and alerted him that 1st place had finished. The person only a few yards behind him cursed, then the number of needles magnified with their frustration.

"I don't have time for this," Vin said crassly. He quickly hauled the shield from his back to his torso, then violently bashed it against the lofty shelving.

Books rained down from the casing, littering the path behind him and crashing onto his follower. A thump and furious grunt emitted before Vin turned to see the racer plastered on their face.

After confirming the threat was down, he soared through the automatic door, exited the building, then covered his adjusting eyes. He flipped his board over the handrail and continued to the final mark.

On the same course were two more students clashing. One was the boy in wide glasses that he'd seen prior, and the other, well, they didn't last long enough for Vin to get a description of them.

The male student operated a lengthy, green lizard's tail that grew from his waist. It stretched the span of a mid-sized vehicle and slapped the holy spirit out of the second racer who flew off their board.

Vin rolled up on the boy, who'd hardly resembled his previous appearance. His comb-over was undone, and his shirt was down five buttons from the top, so most of his bare, sweaty chest was revealed. They eyed Vin, smoothly adjusted their glasses, then feigned as if their heart wasn't thrashing in exhaustion. "You're the host," he observed, slamming his tail against the ground in warning.

"It's Gavin," Vin replied, hoisting his shield up in preparation. The competitor analyzed the magic circle while skating alongside Vin for a while without speaking or acting.

"Aren't you going to attack?" He asked, once again catching his sliding glasses.

"Nope," muttered Vin, choosing to hold onto his abilities secrecy. Even if he wanted to, his shield appeared to only be defensive.

Another one of the boy's buttons came undone when he kneeled down and grabbed the nose of his skateboard. He stabilized himself so the massive tail on his waist could pull back, then lash out without throwing off his equilibrium.

When the extended limb moved, Vin flung his shield over his flank and guarded against the charge. The whip-like ability cracked and heaved into his defense. A golden burst of light expelled upon impact and repelled the tail.

At the same time, a second chime went off on his watch, and it came down to a battle for third. Or, so he would have liked, but another notification came only winks after. Then a fourth and a fifth, and Vin realized it was an overwhelming, anticlimactic defeat.

The boy beside him let up on his attack, sighed, then relaxed his posture before compelling his hair back into place. "Looks like we were outmatched," he declared in a deflated tone.

Vin side-eyed the student, and in a grave and deep manner, he told him, "It's not over yet. Not until we cross the finish line."

Both the sky and the packed auditorium agreed with him. The overhead clouds shifted, and the sun beamed down in full. And as if on cue, the inspirited cheers in the building ahead of them roared. Also, indicating the assembly had already started.

He was down but not out. Vin moved on. Probably too soon because he was stuck as soon as his back was to his opponent. The lizard tail swiped against his unguarded left shoulder, and he flew off his board. Before crashing, Vin smashed his shield against the ground, which exploded with light, repelled the force, and propelled him upward onto his feet.

"You're right; the race isn't over," the student released a sociable scoff, then resumed a dedicated stance as he passed by.

Vin regained his body and seized his overturned board before jolting after the male. Meanwhile, more chimes sounded, pushing their potential standing back more.

He caught up with the boy in the blue tie, who immediately attacked. The tail was repelled off Vin's shield but circled and stuck again. "I must say. I'm surprised you caught up after your earlier fall," admitted the boy.

After slapping the whip away, Vin exhaled and gazed at him with newfound interest. "Wasn't hard," he said.

"Right..." Mumbled the student. "Must be nice. Being so talented, I mean."

Then roused, Vin withered and shouted back. "Fuck talent. If you like to skate, just shut up and fight."

The blue male's face opened, displaying his wonder at the directed words. He closed his fist, fixed himself on the path ahead, then his brows arched fiercely. "Right, my bad."

They clashed the entire course to the assembly. Vin parachuted from existence. He didn't remember how he got there, why, or what came after the race; he was simply in the moment.

To Vin, the student also seemed genuinely happy to battle for 12th place. It didn't show on his face; no, he grimaced, and veins protruded from his neck in strain. But Vin could feel the man put 100% into ending him, and that was the spirit of racing. Going all out.

Down to the wire, the finish line/ assembly building encroached on them. Another powerful tail swipe assailed, but it ricocheted off the magic circle. "You just don't give up," the student angrily stated.

Vin returned his words with wild, focused brown eyes and an airy grin. Upon the impact of the usual whip attack, Vin held his shield out to block, however-

"Predictable," the student articulated.

The limb didn't aim for a direct blow. It flung across Vin's left side, then circled around his back before it squeezed and bound Vin like a snake tail. He felt it tighten, then start to lift him from his moving board.

Before he could be raised, Vin groaned and forcibly kicked his own skateboard into the other racers.

Both decks collided, and the male student was cast forward with his massive tail. He fell onto the pavement but didn't loosen his grip on Vin; no, he was launched onward alone. Vin's body was hurled through the two large doors of the auditorium and down a set of red-carpeted steps.

Pained, he slowly rose while moaning. He angled his closed eyes toward the ceiling and massaged his throbbing lower back. "Not cool," he mumbled.

When Vin unlocked his eyes and lowered his head, he saw the principal on the lengthy stage looking his way. At his left and right situated stands full of awe-stricken students who shook their heads in wonder or giggled.

"Well, well, what do we have here," gossiped the red-haired woman, publicizing into her mic. It was then Vin stood, dusted himself off, then sighed.

"I'm screwed…."