The dormitory halls of APEX Academy felt nothing like a school.
They felt like a luxury prison.
White steel walls. Soundproof doors. Digital nameplates glowing faintly beside each room. Every student—new or old—was assigned a private space.
No roommates.
No comfort in company.
Isolation was intentional.
Kai Hayato stood in front of his door, reading the display.
[Driver: Kai Hayato | Status: Candidate]
He exhaled slowly and stepped inside.
The room was immaculate. Minimalist. A bed, a desk, a full racing simulator terminal, and a massive window overlooking one of the academy's circuits. Formula cars screamed past below, engines slicing through the air like predators on the hunt.
"…So this is where monsters are raised," Kai muttered.
He dropped his bag.
For the first time since arriving—
Doubt crept in.
---
The Call to the Track
A sharp chime echoed through the academy.
> [ALL NEW STUDENTS REPORT TO PRACTICE CIRCUIT A — IMMEDIATE]
Kai followed the flow of drivers toward the track.
What awaited them was absurd.
Rows upon rows of machines—Formula juniors, hybrid prototypes, simulator-linked test vehicles. Cars worth more than entire city blocks. Engineers and mechanics moved with surgical precision, tablets in hand, eyes sharp.
The other students lit up.
"That's the latest Raven F2 model."
"No way—that's a European-spec Valkyrie."
"They even have pre-regulation test cars…"
Kai slowed.
His throat tightened.
He didn't recognize a single one.
Street racing had taught him speed, risk, and instinct.
But this?
This was a different language.
A staff member barked, "Each driver, select a vehicle. Practice evaluation begins immediately."
Students surged forward confidently.
Kai stayed where he was.
"…Select?" he whispered.
What did you even look for?
Engine balance? Aero load? Tire compound? Brake bias?
On the streets, you felt the car.
Here, the car demanded understanding.
A mechanic noticed him lingering.
"You alright?" the man asked.
Kai hesitated. "…Which one's fast?"
The mechanic blinked.
Then frowned.
---
Laughter
Someone snorted.
"Did he just ask which one's fast?"
Another voice followed. "Who invited this guy?"
Kai turned.
A tall boy with perfect posture and a pristine racing suit smiled mockingly.
"Street racer, right?" he said. "These machines punish ignorance."
Kai's jaw tightened.
He picked a car at random.
A sleek prototype—overly aggressive, hyper-sensitive. Completely unsuited for someone without technical knowledge.
The moment he sat inside, warning lights flared.
Controls everywhere. Steering resistance unlike anything he'd ever felt. Throttle response razor-sharp.
"…This thing's alive," Kai muttered.
---
The APEX System Activates
Engines ignited.
Above the track, the sky darkened as a massive holographic screen descended.
Rintaro Akagi stood above them, hands in his coat pockets, eyes gleaming with cold amusement.
"Listen carefully," he said. "Because this moment decides whether you're racers… or decorations."
The screen flashed.
> [APEX SYSTEM – INITIALIZATION COMPLETE]
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"The APEX System is not a game," Akagi continued. "It is a mirror."
The display split into categories.
---
APEX SYSTEM – DRIVER PARAMETERS
Core Stats
Reaction Time – Neural response under speed
Race IQ – Decision-making and opponent reading
Machine Control – Precision handling
Track Adaptability – Learning speed
Mental Pressure Resistance – Ego stability
Risk Threshold – How far you're willing to go
"Your stats," Akagi said, "are evaluated in real time."
Another panel appeared.
---
SKILLS
Abilities developed through experience.
Examples:
Late-Brake Override
Slipstream Manipulation
High-Speed Line Prediction
Mechanical Feedback Sense
"Skills can be learned," Akagi said. "But not everyone survives the process."
---
TECHNIQUES
Unique. Uncopyable.
"Techniques are born from obsession, talent, or madness," Akagi continued.
"They evolve—or they die."
---
RANKINGS
Displayed brutally.
"Rankings update after every session," Akagi smiled. "They decide your worth."
He leaned forward.
"To be the fastest alive—"
His eyes burned.
"—you must become the predator."
The track gates opened.
"Begin."
---
Practice Run – Reality Hits
Lights went green.
Cars launched like bullets.
Kai floored the throttle.
Instant regret.
The car lurched violently. Downforce crushed him into the seat. His steering overcorrected. The machine screamed in protest.
He barely survived the first corner.
Others?
Smooth. Surgical. Perfect.
They passed him effortlessly.
Sweat poured down Kai's neck.
"Too sensitive—no, too stiff—!"
He misjudged braking.
Tires screamed.
The car spun—not a full crash, but close enough.
Silence fell.
Then whispers.
"He doesn't even know brake bias…"
"He's lost."
"This is embarrassing."
Kai sat there, breathing hard.
His display flashed.
> [APEX SYSTEM – INITIAL EVALUATION]
Reaction Time: B
Machine Control: D
Race IQ: C
Mental Pressure Resistance: A
Overall Rank: 98 / 200
Near the bottom.
Akagi's voice echoed.
"Beautiful," he said coldly.
"A perfect example of raw instinct colliding with reality."
Kai clenched his fists.
Akagi's gaze locked onto him.
"Street racer."
Kai looked up.
"You have fangs," Akagi said. "But you don't know how to use them."
The man smiled.
"Good."
"Because ignorance can be fixed."
"But weakness?"
"That gets erased."
Humiliation burned Kai's chest.
But beneath it—
Something else stirred.
Hunger.
---
Kai's Resolve
As engines cooled and students dispersed, Kai remained in the car.
He stared at the steering wheel.
"I lost because I didn't understand the machine…"
He exhaled slowly.
"Then I'll learn."
His eyes hardened.
"No."
"I'll master it."
Above him, unseen, Akagi watched.
And for the first time—
He laughed.