The Enterprise ahead surely knew that this final S-curve before the finish line was Essex's last chance to overtake.
Although most of her attention was on driving, Enterprise could still keep an eye on every move Essex made through the rearview mirror.
As long as she maintained her lead and made interfering moves to block overtaking, she could secure the victory steadily.
Just as they were about to enter this final S-curve, Enterprise suddenly noticed that Essex had begun to shift her posture early, preparing to drift into the curve to overtake.
"Trying to overtake at the very first corner at this distance is impossible. What is Essex trying to do?"
Enterprise's eyes beneath her helmet slightly darkened, but she had to immediately lower her body to start drifting; otherwise, inertia would cause her to drive off the track.
Both of them quickly entered the first corner of the S-curve.
Whether it was Enterprise or Essex, their cornering actions were like twin sisters—almost perfectly synchronized.
Even while cornering, Enterprise firmly blocked all the routes Essex might use to overtake, leaving no chance at all.
But this time, because Essex began drifting into the corner before Enterprise, she passed through the curve at an extremely close distance along the inner edge of the track.
By using this early drift to hug the inside lane, Essex successfully shortened the distance between her and Enterprise by a significant margin, but it was still far from enough to truly pass her.
"If that's all, it's not enough to beat me, sorry Essex."
That thought flashed first in Enterprise's mind.
Then, in the next moment, Enterprise's once steady and resolute purple eyes suddenly shrank sharply.
Essex didn't continue to attempt an overtake, nor did she start preparing to drift at the second corner. Instead...
She slowed down and headed straight toward the inside lane of the second corner!
Everyone knows that in racing, occupying the inside line of a curve often means gaining an advantage.
And in an S-curve—a pair of two continuous large corners—the advantage of the inside line shifts at the second corner!
Essex wasn't planning to overtake by drifting at this second corner but chose to rush straight for the repositioned inside lane!
This was a desperate gamble. Even the most experienced drivers wouldn't recklessly choose such a high-risk overtaking move.
At this speed, a slight miscalculation could easily cause the rider to lose control of their momentum and be thrown off the track.
Enterprise, thinking she was firmly in the lead and having already begun drifting into the corner, was caught off guard and couldn't block Essex's sudden deceleration and lane change in time.
"If that's the case, then let's see who can claim the final victory! Essex!"
Since she could no longer stop Essex, Enterprise chose to stick to her current line, focusing fully on her drift and keeping her eyes locked on the finish line ahead.
Because both she and Essex were aircraft carriers, Enterprise didn't worry about Essex's safety; instead, she felt a bit excited and pleased.
Right—don't completely follow in my footsteps. At this moment, boldly make your own choice, Essex!
Bring out all the confidence from your efforts and let the Commander, who has finally returned, witness it!
Though it seemed like a long time, to Lin Lan and Anchorage and the other spectators in the stands, it happened in just a few heartbeats.
Two Eagle Union aircraft carrier girls, whose actions were once perfectly synchronized, now chose two completely different ways to take the corner.
Both Enterprise and Essex carried a determination to win, their skilled maneuvers unwavering.
Lin Lan, Maury, and Hammann all held their breaths as they watched Essex only begin drifting after entering the corner.
If she succeeded, Essex could very likely catch up and even surpass Enterprise.
If she failed, Essex would drive off the track directly, instantly deciding the race.
The figure clad in cyan and the flowing blue light of her motorcycle drew closer and closer to the inner edge of the track!
"Commander, Senior Enterprise, please watch the result of my efforts—Essex!"
With incredibly skilled speed control and drift distance management, the beautiful lady in the cyan jacket rode her racing motorcycle tightly hugging the inside edge, passing through the curve at a nearly perfect and extreme arc!
Essex succeeded!
Lin Lan jumped up excitedly from his seat, holding Eldridge tightly in his arms.
Essex had actually managed to overtake at the last moment...
At the same time, Enterprise performed a perfect and graceful drift beside Essex.
The two Eagle Union aircraft carrier girls returned to the same starting line once again, almost side by side, rushing toward the final finish line on the straight track ahead.
Who would be the victor?
Would it be Enterprise, the legendary aircraft carrier war goddess of the Eagle Union's lone forest?
Or Essex, the emerging new flagship of the Essex-class carriers?
"Vroooom!!!"
With the near-simultaneous engine sonic booms crossing the finish line, the two Bancho birds waved their black-and-white checkered flags, officially ending the race.
But Lin Lan and the four Eagle Union carrier girls in the stands could not tell who crossed the finish line first.
Because in that instant, to their eyes from the viewing platform, the two racers crossed the line almost simultaneously.
Fortunately, on such a professional racing circuit, there was an absolutely precise automatic timing system and video replay.
Under Gridley's control in the race control tower, the big screen began to replay the two racers sprinting to the finish line in slow motion, soon revealing the winner's name in the most prominent position:
Essex!
On the big screen's slow-motion playback, Lin Lan and the others clearly saw that at the final moment, Essex's motorcycle front barely edged ahead of Enterprise's, crossing the finish line just before her.
Without multiple angles and slow-motion replays, such a slight lead would have been impossible to discern.
"Essex, sister, you won! Yay!"
"Essex defeated Enterprise."
Not only did Anchorage happily stand up, waving her adorable sleeves to cheer for Essex, but Eldridge, the cute little girl in Lin Lan's arms, also shook her golden tuft and recited the final race result again.
Compared to the two of them, Maury and Hammann sat dumbfounded in their seats, as if they still couldn't believe the result.
After all, everyone in the port area knew Essex wanted to surpass Enterprise, but it seemed this had never actually happened over so many years, no matter the field.
Though Essex had been continuously honing herself to grow stronger, even once tying with Enterprise in a port exercise.
But one must understand, as Essex grew stronger, Enterprise was certainly not standing still.
No one expected Essex could really beat Enterprise one day, even if it was just a race with only six spectators and two Bancho birds.
It wasn't until Lin Lan gently put Eldridge down and waved his hand in front of Maury and Hammann that these two girls, stuck in shock, finally came back to their senses.
"Th-this-this-this..."
Adorable Hammann seemed tongue-tied, blushing and unable to say a complete sentence for quite a while.
Enterprise's little bodyguard Maury was better off, showing a sincere smile as she said to Lin Lan:
"Maybe this is what it means to reap what you sow. In such a dignified race to defeat Sister Enterprise, Essex must have worked incredibly hard behind the scenes. It's really not easy!"
Lin Lan nodded in full agreement.
That last inside-lane overtaking drift in the S-curve, even as an outsider, he could see how thrilling it was.
To control speed and distance so precisely and pass the corner hugging the inner edge—it definitely required a massive amount of practice, even for clever ship girls.
"All right, we can't keep the two star racers waiting. Let's head down."
Lin Lan chuckled, gently ruffling Hammann's dazed little head and led the way toward the track below the stands.
From his understanding of Essex, that silly girl probably still couldn't accept this reality just yet.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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