Chapter 163 - 161

Words : 1357 Updated : Oct 8th, 2025

"If you really don't want to, you can still head back," Haruki said to Airi. "Okay, okay!" she replied quickly. It wasn't quite the late-night mountain road experience Airi had imagined dragging Haruki and Ryuko out to watch cars race but gaming together was still better than staying home drawing. "Sorry, Ryuko. I might need to look after her a bit," Haruki turned toward her. "You should probably head back first." Ryuko blinked, hesitating a moment. "That's okay," she smiled. "Actually... I kind of like games too." "Really?" Haruki looked surprised, then intrigued. "You play League?" "I've heard of it! Always wanted to try, but I never found someone to teach me," she said a little shyly. "Well, the teacher you've been waiting for is standing right here!" Haruki grinned confidently. Ryuko could immediately tell Haruki had a different energy when talking about games. It was rare to see him like this. Before long, the three of them were seated in an internet café. Haruki registered them as members, logged in, and got them set up. The girl at the front desk blinked in disbelief. A guy like him... bringing two girls like them into a net café? She didn't know whether to mock him... or envy him. Airi looked around curiously. "You two don't even have accounts yet," Haruki said, opening a client window. "You definitely can't queue for ranked games right away. I'll lend you mine. Let's start with some basic training, get used to the controls..." "Ranked?" Ryuko blinked. "I thought you had to practice a lot before you could qualify? I can barely move my character." "Don't worry," Haruki said with full confidence. "Bronze-level ranked games are basically just beginners bumping into each other. With me on your side, we'll be fine!" Airi and Ryuko logged in using the accounts he handed over. Following Haruki's guidance, they queued into matches. What followed... was chaos. As soon as the match began, Haruki realized they had a problem. Airi, playing the team's healer, kept using her abilities in the wrong places randomly healing under their turret and wandering straight into danger. Ryuko, who'd taken the jungle role (meant for sneak attacks and surprise support), seemed lost in the forest. She ignored the main goals of the game, instead roaming around and firing off abilities into the trees like she was sightseeing. Meanwhile, Haruki playing the team's main attacker was desperately trying to hold things together. "Airi! Heal me during fights not when we're hiding under the tower! And stop using your special move when no one's even nearby!" "Ryuko, forget the forest just come help me on the bottom path!" "I'll handle the monster buffs. You stay down here. Don't touch the red one. Trust me this is how we turn things around!" "Our lane's losing? Fine new plan! Everyone pile in. We win by overwhelming them!" Meanwhile, the other two random players on their team handling the center and top of the map were spamming question marks in the chat, clearly confused and frustrated. Eventually, Haruki sighed and muted them both. ... By 9 p.m., the three stumbled out of the café looking drained. Airi was still hyped. "Can we play another one?" Ryuko glanced at Haruki, who was now awkwardly trying to justify their record. "Okay... so we lost nine and won one. Sure. But tonight wasn't about winning. It was about getting you familiar with the game's controls. And that last match? You both did fine under my leadership, we won!" "But didn't the two teammates with 30 kills carry us?" Airi asked innocently. "Ahem. Don't get caught up in the details," Haruki deflected. "Anyway, it's late. Time to head back." He called a taxi, gave the driver directions, and sent off Airi, who was reluctant to leave. Ryuko and Haruki shared another taxi heading toward campus. Haruki stared out the window, mind still replaying the night's games. Ryuko watched him, amused. She hadn't expected it this side of Haruki, so animated, so relaxed. And since they'd left the café, she noticed something else: the distance he usually kept between them was... less there tonight. When the car pulled up near cafe, Ryuko stepped in first. "Well then... I'll head back," she said, waving. Though it was the holidays, she'd applied to stay on campus instead of going home. "Alright," Haruki nodded. "Be careful. Message me if anything happens." Ryuko paused, a little surprised. Then she smiled. "Got it." "I had fun today," she added. "Next time, let's actually win one." They shared a few more words light, easy until the taxi driver's increasingly pointed sighs nudged them toward goodbye. Haruki caught another taxi and made his way home. It was still early, so he sat down at his desk and began sketching key scenes from 5 Centimeters per Second and Voices of a Distant Star. ... At Airi's apartment, she crept in and sighed in relief upon seeing the darkened room. Good Haruka wasn't home. Grinning, she booted up her laptop and immediately started downloading League of Legends. ... A few days later, Initial D Episode 6 finally hit bookstores. Across the city, fans who had waited all week gathered early at store entrances. While it didn't yet match the numbers of long-standing major titles, Initial D had become a must-read among manga fans who'd started planning their schedules just to catch each new chapter. For many, the last episode had left them watching the AE86 idle at the foot of the mountain, over and over. And now at last the story resumed. The scene opened on Mount Akina. The race time was drawing near. But the black-and-white AE86 everyone had been waiting for... still hadn't arrived. Iketani turned to Kenji. "Get ready," he said seriously. With the AE86 still missing, Kenji was forced to step up. He drove into position, facing off against Takahashi Keisuke's gleaming yellow FD. Keisuke looked across at him with clear disdain, bored and annoyed. Kenji, drenched in nervous sweat, gripped the wheel. The countdown began... But before it could even reach two— A voice came through the walkie-talkie. "Wait someone just passed the summit! Looked like an ordinary car, though!" Keisuke frowned. "Ignore it." But Iketani jumped forward. "Wait! Ask them what kind of car was it?" "A white coupe... pop-up headlights... probably a TRUENO 86." "What color?" "Seriously? It's black and white. Panda paint job!" The moment the description came through, Keisuke, Ryosuke, Iketani, and every character who knew that car instantly lit up. And on the other side of the page... so did the readers. He's finally here. The long wait, the slow build-up, the endless pages teasing the arrival it all exploded into a surge of adrenaline the moment the AE86 hit the mountain. Keisuke cracked a fierce smile. "You finally showed up... my prey." ... At the base of the mountain, the black-and-white AE86 began climbing Akina's curves. Spectators had gathered at every hairpin, waiting. Now, the only car on the mountain road... was this one. Inside, Takumi looked around, puzzled by the unusual commotion. Still, he muttered to himself, "Whatever. If I win, I get a full tank. Then I can hit the beach tomorrow without worrying." That one line shifted the tone instantly. The tension broke readers burst out laughing. So, in Takumi's mind, the pride of Akina's fastest racers... was still just gas money. Meanwhile, down the road, Nakazato called the "King of Sheet Metal" made his own entrance, hinting at the deeper strength behind the humble AE86. And with that, all eyes both in the manga, and across the readership were locked onto the mountain once again. The AE86 had arrived. Shout out to Ziyad, heavenascendance, Carlos for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me. (TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 55+ advanced chapters)

Chapter 163 - 161

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