Chapter 496
Sofina squeezed her eyes shut-
but the slap never landed.
Alex’s hand shot out like lightning, catching Ragnar’s wrist mid-air.
“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” Alex said, voice cold enough to freeze stone.
“Do you want to finish this in the race or right here in a fight? I’m open to both. And if we fight… I’m taking this hand of yours p>
“Don’t you dare touch me, you half-slave!” Ragnar roared, trying to yank his arm free.
Alex tightened his grip. “I’d rather not lay hands on a man carrying five sexually transmitted diseases p>
The bones in Ragnar’s wrist ground together. He screamed-high, sharp, almost like a woman shrieking.
Alex could’ve crushed the entire arm without effort.
But Sofina rushed forward. “Alex, don’t hurt him p>
At her voice, Alex released Ragnar instantly.
Ragnar stumbled back, face drained of color, humiliation burning through him.
“You’ll pay for this! I’ll take your arms and your wife! Just wait p>
He spun and stormed back toward his car.
Sofina turned to Alex, breath unsteady, anger and adrenaline shaking through her.
“Fine. That jerk has gone too far. You have to destroy him p>
Alex’s eyes glinted. “That’s the plan p>
Her resolve hardened.
“I believe in you. I’ll bet every coin I have on you. I’ll call Countess Marlena… even though I don’t know if she’ll actually open the betting p>
“Just call,” Alex said with a wink.
Minutes later, Sofina returned, still stunned.
“Countess Marlena agreed to open the bet p>
And right then, across the massive floating stadium screen, the betting counter flickered to life-numbers glowing bright as the crowd erupted in excitement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Eden Group-your official betting house-proudly announces a sudden special exhibition match,” the announcer boomed across the stadium.
“A friendly showdown between a VÖXEN Series 6 and a VÖXEN Series 1… or whatever that thing is. And yes-betting is now officially open p>
Then his tone shifted into something sharp and dramatic.
“And this isn’t a lighthearted race. The drivers have wagered their arms and their hearts. This is a winner-takes-all match. The loser… will face misery. Even death p>
The entire stadium erupted. Tens of thousands roared with excitement, slapping their wrist-bracelets to open the betting interface.
They had all come for the Mobile Suit Tournament, bringing in massive corporate crowds-and now they were eager to gamble on anything that moved. People immediately focused on Alex’s car-his old VÖXEN First Series. Most of them burst out laughing.
“Is this guy insane? He’s racing Ragnar’s VÖXEN Gen-6 with that antique?” “This is a joke, right? That Gen-1 can’t even compete. What’s he thinking p>
Winchester Stadium was huge an oval track designed for high-speed mobile units. Once a car synced with the magnetic line, the system mapped the fastest possible path.
After that, everything depended solely on engine power.
Even the dumbest man in Winchester knew that.
“So why the hell is Alex-driving a first-generation VÖXEN-agreeing to race a VÖXEN Gen-6?” one spectator asked.
His friend snorted.
“Simple. Alex is the walking Error-and the dunce of the century. Only a certified idiot would enter a race like this with a Gen-1 VÖXEN p>
The crowd agreed instantly. Bets piled onto Ragnar’s side. The VÖXEN Gen-6 percentage jumped like a rocket.
Ragnar raised both arms, thrilled by the momentum.
“Alright! Everyone, watch closely! The race begins now p>
He slid into his VÖXEN Gen-6, engine rumbling like a beast ready to devour the track.
Alex climbed into his own vehicle and eased up beside him, bumpers aligned.
A massive digital screen lit up in front of them—
COUNTDOWN: 5
A line of text blinked: Start when the number hits zero.
Ragnar rolled down his window and yelled,
“You bastard! I’m taking your arms! Kneel now, and maybe I’ll show mercy p>
“How about you kneel first?” Alex shot back. A cold smile touched his lips as he switched his VÖXENanto
Seraphine Mode spaceship
configuration.
Most people couldn’t even start a car in that mode-its speed was terrifying. The gravitational force aleffe could spike to ten es enough to snap bones and crush a heart
from sheer pressure. One wrong move, and everything would turn to dust.
But Alex?
Alex’s mind moved in perfect sync with precision, instinct, and machine. Controlling
this little monster was as natural to him as breathing.
The countdown dropped-
3… 2… 1… 0
Ragnar’s VÖXEN 6 roared forward, launching like a bullet.
And then-
Alex’s car, the supposed “weak Gen-1,” slowly jolted backward instead of forward.
The entire stadium gasped in shock, thousands rising to their feet in disbelief.
Alex’s car rolled backward a full twenty meters before coming to a stop-
then it inched forward, slow and gentle, almost lazy, like someone taking a relaxed Sunday drive to the beach, admiring everything along the way.
Meanwhile, Ragnar had already slammed the accelerator to the floor. His VÖXEN Gen-6 shot ahead, screaming past 200 km/h in seconds.
Alex’s car?
Barely 20, maybe 30 km/h.
The crowd exploded in outrage.
“ARE YOU INSANE?” one spectator roared. “I bet money on your damn courage p>
Another scoffed loudly. “Idiot! You bet on the dunce of Winchester p>
“Yeah, if he’s handing out money, he might as well keep driving backward p>
Inside the car, Alex scratched his head, annoyed but helpless.
He was pushing the spaceship-mode-its fastest configuration—but the car refused
to accelerate.
It stubbornly focused on mapping the entire track, scanning every curve, every airflow, every shift in wind pressure.
The system needed perfect data before choosing the optimal racing trajectory in full
speed.
So it continued crawling at moderate speed, cameras and sensors recording everything.
By the time Alex completed one lap, Ragnar had already finished five.
People had already given up on Alex.
Some started counting the winnings they expected to pocket.
Others were shaking their heads, already calling him a lost cause.
Then it happened.
A crisp voice echoed through the cockpit:
“Mapping complete. Initiating first acceleration phase. Beginning at 200 km/h and
escalating toward 2,000 km/h. Driver, prepare for ignition p>
A deep, resonant hum rolled across the stadium-heavy, metallic, alive.
Then the impossible happened.
Something on the back of the
VÖXEN First Series unfolded, splitting open like the wings of a machine-beast awakening. A burning yellow glow surged from within shifting into a fierce electric bite then to a blinding, colorless heat so intense the air itself warped.
Wind blasted across the arena.
Spectators shielded their faces.
The stadium trembled.
Alex’s VÖXEN Seraphine locked into position, the frame tightening as if bracing for
war-
and then the engine detonated into a roar, a violent metallic scream that shut the
entire stadium into stunned silence.
Alex’s lips curled into a sharp grin.
“The real race,” he said, eyes narrowing,
“starts now p>