Lingwind crossed the finish line.
Hansen and Broken Moon could only watch helplessly as Lingwind sped past the line.
They were less than a hundred meters behind her. That gap—perhaps with just one more second, they might have overtaken her. But what did it matter? In the final standings, they would always be thirty seconds behind Lingwind—an insurmountable thirty-second difference.
"L-lost? How is that possible?"
Hansen slumped over the control stick, his face filled with disbelief.
He had originally been nothing more than a street racer, until he was unexpectedly noticed and cultivated by a Techmaster surnamed Yang. With Ethan Yang's support, he quickly rose from a penniless, down-and-out street racer to a professional driver with an excellent Mecha Girl, even passing the Knox Rally assessment with solid results. His mission was simple—do everything possible to sabotage Zane.
Everything he had was given to him by Ethan Yang.
Ethan Yang seemed easygoing on the surface, but Hansen knew all too well that if he ever failed a task, everything he possessed would vanish in an instant.
"Damn it! What did Zane feed Lingwind? When did Lingwind learn that kind of technique?!"
"You bastard, Zane—holding back on me but teaching Lingwind instead? Fine, just fine!"
Broken Moon's furious complaints echoed from the front.
She had no idea how much Hansen stood to lose.
For her, at worst it meant returning to Zane's side. There was nothing to be afraid of. What bothered her instead was Zane's deliberate concealment—his hidden cards. She was already planning to confront him later and demand an explanation.
"No… there's still a chance!"
Hansen suddenly lifted his head, muttering nervously.
"Our agreement with Zane was that Zane and Lingwind would compete together. But this race was completed by Lingwind alone—this violates the agreement! Ha… hahaha!"
He burst into hysterical laughter.
"I won! I still won!"
"My mansion, my Mecha Girl, my money—they're all still mine! Still mine, hahahaha!"
Hearing Hansen's rambling behind her, Broken Moon quickly disengaged from deployment mode and took two steps back.
Now, she found Hansen increasingly unpleasant.
The Hansen from before had been a young, wealthy, outstanding racer. Now? A fool who went mad after a single setback. What future could someone like that possibly have?
…
In the spectator stands.
"Master! Lingwind won!!"
Stella bounced up and down, waving two pineapples in excitement.
Seeing Lingwind defeat Broken Moon and Hansen made her happier than if she'd won herself.
"As expected~"
Derek Su folded his arms and nodded calmly.
Everything had been under control. The only thing he hadn't anticipated was Lingwind voluntarily changing her starting position to behind Hansen and Broken Moon. That choice placed extra pressure on her and tested her resolve—but she had faced it head-on. It showed just how resilient she was, and how strong her sense of pride had become.
Mecha Girls came in all kinds of personalities.
Lingwind was unquestionably excellent in temperament. Her attributes weren't bad, and she didn't place high demands on her driver either. Where else could one find a Mecha Girl like that?
Thinking of this, Derek Su couldn't help but glance at Zane behind him.
Zane had been thrilled when Lingwind won, but the moment Derek Su shot him a look, he instantly wilted. He lowered his head, staring awkwardly at his toes, wishing he could crawl into a crack in the ground.
"Master, Lingwind really won…" Lumina looked toward the girl at the finish line, her face lifted as she embraced the sky. A trace of envy surfaced in her eyes. Lingwind had proven herself and reclaimed the honor that belonged to her. When would it be her turn?
"Yes. She won."
Xavier Young patted Lumina's head, his gaze fixed on Derek Su's back, his eyes filled with admiration.
He had once thought Derek Su was merely an extraordinarily talented racer, whose wild ideas produced his ghostlike driving style. Now he realized he had underestimated him. Becoming strong oneself and making others strong were entirely different matters. This genius possessed the ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Then…
He looked at Lumina beside him.
Perhaps the day Lumina returned to the track wasn't far off.
…
In a corner of the stands, Purple Lightning gazed into the distant sky.
Sunlight had just broken through the dark clouds, a rainbow hanging across the horizon. Even the wind blowing toward her seemed filled with color.
She let out a satisfied sigh.
So there really was a dawn after the darkness.
So relying on herself alone wasn't impossible after all.
Her life had once been muddled. Although she had goals, they could be crushed at any moment by the hardships of life—because she didn't know whether those goals were illusions or something that truly existed.
Now, Lingwind had given her a perfect answer.
"Do your best, Purple Lightning."
A faint smile appeared on the girl's pale face.
She pulled up her hood, tucked her hands into her pockets, and skipped lightly away, disappearing into the corner of the stands.
…
"Lingwind, you were amazing!"
When Lingwind returned, Stella immediately rushed over and gave her a big hug.
"Stella is the amazing one~" Lingwind said shyly, her face flushed. "It took me so long to reach the finish line—you and Derek Su were already in the stands."
"Hehe~ that's different!" Stella patted Lingwind on the shoulder. "You're a smart Mecha Girl who won on your own. I'm just a dumb Mecha Girl who can only rely on my master. So compared to me, you're definitely more impressive!"
With that, she cracked open a pineapple with her forehead, pulled out the largest piece, and stuffed it into Lingwind's hands.
"Smart Lingwind, this is your reward! Teach me how to take corners when you have time, okay~"
"Mm!" Lingwind nodded firmly.
Holding the pineapple Stella had given her, her eyes turned red.
Meeting Stella really was a stroke of luck.
"Well done. Keep working hard," Derek Su said with a smile, nodding.
What Lingwind had learned so far was limited to the corners of the Echo Valley training race, but the knowledge he'd taught her would gradually evolve—from rigid techniques into flexible skills—as her training continued. The rest depended on Lingwind herself.
A master leads you to the door; cultivation depends on the individual.
That was how it worked.
And Lingwind had now truly grown beyond Zane, becoming a Mecha Girl capable of standing on her own. With the cornering techniques she had mastered, it was now others who needed her approval.
Zane understood this perfectly.
So when Lingwind stood before him, his heart was filled with embarrassment and regret. Still, he knew she had better options—Derek Su, or Xavier Young. Either one could offer Lingwind a brighter future.
"Master, I—"
Lingwind looked at the dejected Zane and spoke softly.
"I agree!" Zane interrupted her before she could finish. He hunched his shoulders, deflated like a punctured balloon, and sighed. "Lingwind, I agree to you becoming Derek Su's Mecha Girl… I'm sorry. I didn't train you well before. I hope you'll become even more outstanding in the future."