Anthony's car tore through the shimmering veil of the portal, bursting into existence with a violent roar. His tires slammed down against a wooden bridge suspended high above a vast, glistening lake. The impact rattled his frame, the sound of creaking timbers echoing through the wide expanse. The bridge stretched endlessly ahead, its width impressive enough to hold at least five cars side by side, yet still carrying the deceptive fragility of a trap meant to test both courage and skill.

"Deactivate spike tires and explosive mana tanks," Anthony commanded, his voice firm, controlled.

"Affirmative," the AI responded mechanically, its tone devoid of emotion.

At once, the spikes retracted back into the tires with a hiss, the jagged edges folding neatly into their grooves. The exhaust pipes, which had been spitting out blue flames from the mana burst system, extinguished in a puff of smoke. His speed dropped instantly, momentum faltering, but Anthony kept his foot pressed hard against the throttle. The engine snarled in protest before settling into a steady, guttural growl.

"Third Scenario initiated: Overhead water bridge. Calculating optimal route to the next portal," the AI intoned again, its monotone cutting through the roar of the engine.

Behind him, twelve other racers erupted through the same glowing portal, their engines bellowing in unison like a mechanical chorus of war. Anthony's eyes flicked to the side mirror, catching a glimpse of the chaos unfolding behind him. His lips curved upward into a sly smile.

"It seems seven racers were eliminated by that missile," he murmured under his breath, amusement lacing his tone.

The moment Ernest, Alicia, Dave, and Clara closed in on him, their weapons fired once more, unleashing a hail of bullets.

Ratatatatatatatat!

"Barrier strength down to 73% and dropping," the AI warned.

Anthony knew instantly that missiles were out of the question here. Firing one would obliterate the wooden bridge itself, leaving everyone with no path forward but a watery grave. A dangerous grin spread across his face as he yanked the handbrake. His car jerked sideways, tires shrieking against the boards as he entered a perfect drift. Smoke curled up in spirals from the friction. The nose of his car spun around to face his pursuers, and with a flick of his wrist, he slammed the gearshift from drive into reverse. His car rocketed forward, tail first, without missing a beat.

"Prepare the ammunition and fire," Anthony commanded.

"Affirmative," the AI replied coldly.

A sleek turret unfolded from the hood of his car with a hiss of hydraulics. Without hesitation, Anthony opened fire, bullets spitting out in controlled bursts. His eyes never left the rearview mirror, a mad grin etched across his face as he watched his enemies scramble.

Ernest and the others swerved violently, tires screeching, their cars darting left and right in desperate attempts to evade the hailstorm. But the further they advanced, the narrower the wooden bridge became. Every second, the margin for error shrank.

Anthony spotted the narrowing track and yanked the handbrake once again. His car swung with practiced elegance, leaving thick black tire marks etched into the boards, smoke billowing in his wake. The nose swung back forward, and with fluid precision, Anthony shifted the gear from reverse back to drive. His foot crashed down on the accelerator, and the car leapt forward like a beast unleashed.

"Beep! Warning: a slim, sharp-cut bend lies ahead. Reduce speed immediately or risk collision with water," the AI droned.

Anthony's eyes narrowed. Most drivers would brake. Most would hesitate. But Anthony? His speed only climbed, the engine howling in defiance of common sense.

Behind him, the twelve remaining racers slammed their brakes hard, the sharp squeals of rubber grinding against wood filling the air. Each prepared to initiate controlled drifts, their eyes focused on the deadly curve.

"Is Lorian insane? Where did he even learn to drive like this?" Alicia shouted, wrestling with her steering wheel as her car fishtailed across the slick boards. None of them could fathom how Anthony dared to push harder instead of slowing down.

At the razor-sharp bend, Anthony grinned confidently, pulling his handbrake with expert timing. His car swung wide, drifting with mechanical precision, but even then, his rear tires flirted dangerously with the edge of the bridge, the wooden beams groaning under the strain.

Vrrrmmm!

Anthony's engine screamed like a wild beast as he slammed the throttle to the floor. His car shot into the bend with impossible recklessness. For a heartbeat, his rear tires completely left the bridge, dangling above the dark waters below. Only his front tires clung to the boards as half his car hovered over open air. Gravity reached greedily for him, threatening to tear him from the track.

But Anthony moved first.

"Activate explosive mana tank," he ordered.

In an instant, the exhaust roared back to life. Blue flames exploded outward in a furious torrent, propelling the car forward with violent force. The rear tires slammed back onto the bridge, snapping into place as though defying death itself. The impossible bend was conquered without so much as a brake tap.

"COM'ONNNN! HELL YEAH!" Anthony roared at the top of his lungs, his voice lost in the chaos of wind and thunder as he surged forward.

The other racers gawked in disbelief. They had just witnessed the impossible. Anthony had turned what should have been a fatal mistake into a triumphant display of mastery.

"Where did this guy even learn to drive like this?" Dave muttered, his voice carrying both awe and fear.

Not a single racer dared to mimic him. This wasn't like the mountain-top scenario, where they could easily mirror his maneuvers. This was raw madness, an art that belonged to Anthony alone.

"Obstacle of the third scenario up ahead: Oil spill on track followed by cliff jump," the AI announced.

Anthony's mind raced. Oil on the track to force a reduction in speed… then a cliff jump immediately after. They'll need their mana bursts just to survive it.

But Anthony didn't care. His sharp mind already pieced together a plan. Without hesitation, he pressed harder on the pedal. The speedometer needle pushed mercilessly past 800 kilometers per hour. The car rattled violently, every bolt screaming as though the machine itself questioned his sanity.

Ahead, a slick of black oil glistened ominously under the bridge lights.

Anthony tore straight through it. His tires instantly lost grip, the car fishtailing wildly. The bridge threatened to spit him into the lake below.

"Handbrake!" he snarled.

The car snapped into a drift, tires shrieking against the wooden boards. The oil caught under his wheels, threatening ignition as smoke and sparks danced in the air. His car whipped around, nose facing backward, tail forward. Normally, he would slam the gear into reverse here, but Anthony had other plans.

Instead, he drifted again, chaining two maneuvers back-to-back with surgical ease. His tires screamed in agony, but the oil burned away, leaving them clean. His car snapped forward once more, perfectly aligned with the track, nose forward as though nothing had happened.

With a grin stretching across his face, Anthony slammed the accelerator. The speedometer soared, 850… 900… 950…

Ahead, the wooden bridge ended abruptly. A yawning cliff awaited, beyond it a cavernous wall with a single gaping hole carved into its heart.

Anthony didn't activate the mana burst. He didn't need it. His confidence was absolute.

The car hit the edge of the bridge and launched into the air.

For a moment, time itself seemed to freeze. The wind stilled, the world held its breath. Anthony's car hung suspended like a bird granted wings, soaring across the abyss. The engine's roar became an anthem, echoing in the hollow sky as the machine carved through empty space.

Darkness loomed ahead, the cavern swallowing all light, but Anthony never blinked. His eyes locked forward, unshakable. The car hurtled toward the hole in the wall, a streak of steel and fire against the shadows.

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