III

15: The FF Master of Asama

III

An S13 driver grunted on Mount Asama's downhill. "This guy's fast!"

Kozo was pressuring him hard in his CRX, his car's light frame and naturally aspirated VTEC engine letting him speed through corners one after the other.

Knowing Asama like the back of his hand, Kozo easily passed the S13 after two more turns.

Then, the CRX left the Nismo fan completely in the dust.

III

"All right thank you." I said to Fumihiro before getting off the phone with him. "Just as I thought."

"What is it?" asked Keisuke.

"The green del Sol driver has just set course records on both Kushiyama and Asama." I said. "He's beaten the best drivers in Nagano over this past week. Except for Impact Blue I suppose."

"So? You want him to join the Red Suns or something?" Keisuke asked. As he was bored, he was bouncing a racquet ball off the roof of my bedroom and catching it.

"His home course is in Komoro in Nagano. Again, we can't recruit him. Even still, he's the only significant challenge the 86 would face after racing Mako. In fact I'd say he'd be the ultimate test before I decide to challenge Takumi."

"Ultimate test?" Keisuke laughed. "In that bland as hell Civic?"

"Exactly. To pull off those speeds in a car that average on every front he has to be skilled."

"Civic drivers ain't shit. We know that." Keisuke said.

I shook my head. "If only."

"What do you mean?"

"Shingo Shoji of the Night Kids has just challenged the 86 to a gum tape deathmatch."

"A gum tape deathmatch?" asked Keisuke. "Are you serious?"

"The worst part is, that's the good news." I said. "The man running the legendary Todo school. Kozo Ikkiyama, Asama's FF master, is his nephew. Trained him since he was 18. A driving school's version of the tofu shop 86."

"No way."

"Indeed." I said. "He's been making Ikkiyama deliver things for local shops between Nagano and Gunma on the mountain roads for the past four years. Guy is no joke. Nagano's version of Takumi Fujiwara in my opinion."

"And you didn't know about him?"

"Again, he's not a racer. A mountain delivery man in secret for a long time from Nagano. No way I could know about him."

Keisuke began to leave my room. "I'm still pissed at you for everything. Just remember that."

"I know." I said.

After Keisuke left, I thought about the two rookies and their current positions in the racing community.

Kozo I calculated to be in his mid 70s as he only delivered less than Takumi did. But both rookies were more than just fast, they were unique above all others for multiple reasons. Most especially of all, humility.

Compared with other racers like Nakazato and Shoji, and especially Keisuke, they were extremely humble drivers. Takumi and Kozo never talked trash, they never talked about the superiority of FR and FF driving over all others respectively.

They showed, not told about their driving. Which was extremely refreshing to see.

Moreover, Takumi broke ground in his very first race. His win over the 32 was the greatest upset in Gunma's racing history. There wasn't a single person on Akina that night except for me who thought Takumi could win.

I bet even Takumi thought he'd lose because it was his very first street race ever.

However, I had reached a decision about what I'd do and what should happen.

If Takumi scratched a win in his gum tape deathmatch next Friday night, it wouldn't be that big a deal to me. He already beat them in the anime, and I had beaten both at the Red Suns meet in the rain.

The real test would be his race with Mako and then Kozo if he won.

Mako would have me in her corner. I could give her some really good advice that might not alter the result of the race drastically. But definitely change the pace and flow of it.

Kozo would indeed be the gatekeeper I was hoping for. Regardless of where they would race, Kozo was a much more skilled FF driver than Shingo. His string of victories in the Nagano street racing scene was impressive for someone in their very first week of racing.

I pulled my 90s cell phone from my pocket and dialed the Fujiwara Tofu Shop.

Bunta answered. "Fujiwara Tofu Shop."

"Hi this is Ryosuke. Can I talk to Takumi please?"

After yelling upstairs, Bunta passed the phone to Takumi.

"Hey Ryosuke how are you?"

"I'm fine. I've been meaning to ask if you've accepted your new challenge?"

Takumi was confused. "Challenge? What do you mean challenge?"

I knew what had happened. "I assume your friend Itsuki must be hiding this from you. Shingo Shoji already has a time set for you two to race."

"First time I'm hearing about it. What about it?"

"I advise you to accept. But Shoji will have no qualms about bumping your friends' cars in the street, so you'd better do it soon."

"Wow you really do know everything don't you?"

I considered telling Takumi about Natsuki's enjo-kosai but decided against it. It would be for him to learn on his own.

"People will begin to test you now that you've beaten that 32 on the downhill. Many might see it as either a fluke or impossible to believe. If you need to learn one thing about street racing, it's about pride. You might not be as arrogant or prideful as most other racers, but they certainly are."

"Thank you."

"I wish you good luck next Friday. I expect you won't disappoint again."

I cut the line before considering driving out to Shibukawa again.

Itsuki would likely soon buy his AE85 Levin, and while it was pitiful and sad to see him basically mess up horribly. I could straight up buy him an 86 and it wouldn't be a drop in the bucket.

However, I wouldn't let him buy the 85 out of apathy. But because of the opposite.

Itsuki truly came to love his 85. He learned and grew from having it. If I just bought a car for him, then he'd never come to appreciate what it was like to have his own.

It was a big accomplishment for anyone in highschool. Heck when I was in highschool in my previous life, it would've been a big accomplishment for me if I had one. It didn't matter if it was old or not, having his own car at 18 was a big deal.

I think that Itsuki just wanted to be respected like Takumi was. He wanted to be a street racer like everyone else on Akina, but only Takumi had the skills to be one.

Still I needed to go on my date with Mako today.

III

In Karuizawa, there was a small fairground where small children ran around and went on little rides. Mako was entrusted with looking after a little girl and I was helping her.

She was a girl of four with suspenders and pigtails named Kana. Mako would not lose sight of her as she played with the other children.

"So what's your relationship with her again?" I asked.

Mako waved a hand. "Oh she's just the daughter of an old friend of my aunt's. She runs the mini mart across the street from my aunt's flower shop. I've known her for years."

"That's rather nice of you to babysit. You're very responsible Mako."

Blushing, Mako smiled shyly. "Oh it's nothing."

I smiled. "This little 86 has turned the entire prefecture on its head. It's not every day you get to see a 32 lose to an 86."

Mako's blush subsided. "The only person who wasn't shocked by this was you."

"I'm going to tell you a secret all right."

Mako nodded, keeping her eyes on Kana.

"I plan on recruiting the 86 to the Red Suns."

Mako's eyes widened. "You are? But he's barely a street racer. Not even!"

"I know. But if he proves himself, I'll be creating two branches of the Akagi Red Suns." Mako kept listening. "Keisuke, Takumi, and I will leave Gunma to pursue my fastest in Kanto project. Kenta can tag along as sort of a crewmember. Keisuke will be our uphiller and Takumi and I can handle the downhill."

Mako put her hands in her jacket pockets. "Sounds like you have this all planned out. But what will happen to the rest of the team?"

"They will stay behind in Gunma and maintain our course records around the prefecture. This won't happen for a very long time. First I need to see if Fujiwara can prove himself worthy. Then he needs to graduate highschool to have enough time to join the team."

Mako laughed a little. "That 86 has just won its first race and you already want to put a Red Suns sticker on it."

"Well he's dipping his toe into street racing for the very first time. This gum tape deathmatch next week will test him. How did Sayuki take the news?"

"Not well. And Keisuke?"

"Not well either."

Mako sighed. "She's not mad about you. She's mad about your brother."

"And so is Keisuke. About Sayuki I mean."

Mako shrugged. "He is kind of rude."

"Oh he definitely is."

"Even though they might not be proud. I am for sure." Mako said.

Smiling as well I spoke. "So am I."

III

The Rotary Brothers were going downhill again on Akagi.

Keisuke held his steering wheel, squinting in concentration.

'His fastest racer theory about N/As and tire grip is growing stronger by the day. This is only the fifth corner and I can barely keep up. Even with 140 less horsepower his FC is outpacing my FD easily.'

Ryosuke shifted perfectly, clearing a hairpin turn easily in his white FC.

'Level 90 is no joke. The Gamer has boosted every single one of my abilities significantly. I can't wait until the 86 finishes those four victories needed to earn my challenge.'

He accelerated downhill, his fastest racer theory continuing to show his speed.

'As I lead the Red Suns to our greatest victory ever.'

III

I splashed a bucket of soapy water over my FC. I passed the sponge over it, making sure every inch of my white car was clean.

Keisuke crossed his arms as he talked to me. "We're rich enough to probably get supermodels to wash our cars. What're you doing washing it yourself?"

I kept scrubbing. "Washing your own car builds patience and appreciation for it. Something you could stand to learn with how recklessly you drive that FD."

"Really? I've never scratched it."

"True. But you drove extremely dangerously during your race with Nakazato. During the last turn you tore up way too much dirt. Probably splattered the entire rear suspension with mud."

Keisuke sighed. "Guess you're right."

I kept cleaning my car as I talked. "The FC's as modded out as could be for drifting at any gear and at any speed. However, it's the front tires that will decide any race I have."

"So? You're the best racer Gunma's had for like a decade." said Keisuke. "You only get faster after every practice run. There isn't a person around who can improve as fast as you can."

"Still." Remembering the Gamer's incredible boost it gave me I spoke. "That 86' true beast lies behind the wheel. It's the driver. His driving style is refined from nearly six years of practice. He's the greatest obstacle the Red Suns will face."

"So what're you waiting for? Beat him and get it over with."

I shook my head, continuing to wash my FC. "Beating a driver as green as him would be embarrassing to call a true win. He'll need at least four proper victories before we can finally begin our expedition to Akina."

"That stupid punk gets me angrier than those cows on Usui you're dating." Keisuke said balling his fists. "He thinks he's all hot shit for beating that awesome 32. But he hasn't even met real street racers like us."

"The Myogi Night Kids haven't properly challenged Fujiwara though."

"What do you mean? He beat the 32 didn't he?"

I nodded. "Yes. But Nakazato's an uphiller. Same as you. Their downhiller is only just now challenging him."

"That riced piece of shit EG6 can't beat that 86. Not after beating a gripped modded 32."

"Under normal circumstances yes. But under a gum tape deathmatch, an FF has a tremendous advantage over an FR. But Shoji isn't the real FF specialist anyway."

"Oh yeah? Then who does that belong to?" wondered Keisuke.

I explained. "The newcomer Ikkiyama. The Todo Braking school has taught him well. Shows off in full how fast and skilled someone who knows what they're doing can be on open roads."

"Those Akina punks still piss me off. They looked like shit, just as you said." Keisuke punched his hand, his strike loud from boxing for years. "Just wanna kick their Nismo fan asses."

I sighed at this. "You know Keisuke. I really am disappointed in you sometimes."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not dating all of Impact Blue. Just Mako."

Keisuke scoffed. "They're inseparable. You date one, you date both of 'em."

I finished washing the right side of my car. "You have to be patient about Akina though. We'll still have time to go there."

"When?"

"About September."

"It's already March! We're gonna have to wait over six months!?" asked Keisuke. "We're dominating Gunma! We recruited the best drivers around! We beat the only other organized team in the whole prefecture! And you're saying we have to wait until September to finally get around to beating that 86?"

I shook my head, changing the topic. "There's a race tonight on Mount Asamakakushiyama."

"Just rolls off the tongue doesn't it?"

"That's why it's called Kushiyama." I said. "Their local team the Black Hawks are being challenged by the green del Sol. Should be interesting."

Keisuke shrugged. "Not like I have anything else better to do."

III

Itsuki laughed at the gas station during his shift with Takumi. "Man you really showed those Night Kids who's boss! You beat that super fast 32!"

Takumi shrugged. "It wasn't that big a deal."

"Not that big a deal?" asked Iketani. "That 32 was only beat by Keisuke Takahashi! The number two driver on the Akagi Red Suns."

"You all act like street racing is the greatest thing in the world but it's not. It's just a bunch of cars going really fast." Takumi shrugged again, going off to find some work to do.

Seeing him space out as he washed some windows in the Gas Station's store, Iketani spoke to Itsuki. "This is bad. He's got his head in the clouds when he's got to focus on that race next Friday."

"I know. We already tried getting him to come with us to Akina." Itsuki looked over to a spaced out Takumi. "But look how that turned out."

Iketani fixed his hat. "There's a race on Kushiyama tonight. There's a green Civic racing there. We could go out there and see if Takumi can get an up close look at how FFs handle."

"That sounds like a great idea! Just the thing to get him pumped for his own race against the red EG6!"

III

Mount Asama Ka Kushiyama was about a two hour drive from Mount Akagi, so I didn't make it mandatory for the Red Suns to come with Keisuke and I. Daito and Kenta still came along anyway, carpooling in his green FD.

As I drove uphill with Keisuke riding shotgun in the FC, he talked to me. "What do you think of the course big bro?"

"It's got nothing but really intense corners." I said. "Reminds me a lot of Usui. In fact they're nearly identical in rhythm."

"This MR2 driven by the Black Hawk's leader probably knows this course backwards and forwards. Should make it hard for that Del Sol."

Since this course was right next door for Mako, I knew she'd be here tonight watching the race.

The course began in front of the hot spring inn and ended in front of the Koritsuma Shrine.

I chose the best spot to watch the race. The second checkpoint in the middle of the course. I wasn't the only one there.

The green S13 from Akina was there as well as the blue Sileighty from Usui. As well as four other cars parked behind the guardrail from other racers from around Nagano and eastern Gunma.

"Is that the Red Suns?" asked Iketani seeing the white FC and green FD pull up to the checkpoint.

"It's gotta be. Just look at those suspensions." Kenji said in jealousy.

I closed the door to the FC behind me as I watched the amount of hatred Sayuki and Keisuke seemed to glare at each other.

Keisuke coughed loudly. "Cow!" he said next to Kenta.

"Pig!" Sayuki 'coughed' as well next to Mako.

It would be a long night for sure.

III

At the start line, a black MR2's driver left the car with a special sticker on it. There was a white moon with a black hawk on it gripping the words 'Downshift' in Japanese in its talons marking the team's insignia.

"I'm Kaito Ono, leader of the Kushiyama Black Hawks." he shook Kozo's hand respectfully.

"Kozo Ikkiyama. Lovely mountain you have here."

The crew member spoke. "The race is prepped gentlemen. Start your engines."

Getting back in their cars, Kaito and Kozo prepared to race.

"5!"

Kaito revved his turbocharged 3S-GE engine.

"4!"

Kozo naturally aspirated VTEC engine was a bit quieter.

"3! 2! 1! Go!"

Kozo was slower off the start line having less horsepower and the MR2 went first.

III

Iketani spoke to Takumi at the second checkpoint. "So what do you think?"

"It's all right." Takumi said.

"All right? All right?" asked Itsuki. "Look around you! The excitement in the air! The cars pressuring each other in the turns! That doesn't get you worked up?"

"It should?"

I could see from afar that the Speed Stars were trying to get Takumi to watch an FF handle up close. To get him ready to face Shingo, but I couldn't blame him for his apathy.

I sure didn't care as I hadn't had the Red Suns lose to either Takumi or Kozo. And I knew that the Todo School had trained Kozo by sending him on runs on this very course including others just like it.

A little while later after endless minutes of Sayuki and Keisuke giving each other death glares, the walkie talkie beeped. "This is the first checkpoint! That del Sol has some serious speed! He's tailing that MR2 through the whole corner."

"See?" Itsuki said. "That EG6 you're facing isn't gonna be much slower!"

Bored, Keisuke walked over to a trash can and 'accidentally' missed throwing his burnt out cigarette away. He got ashes over the green S13s bumper after he flicked the cigarette off the trash can and onto Iketani's car.

I knew his impatience and anger at not being allowed to go to Akina yet fueled the majority of this, but Keisuke was still acting childish.

"Hey buddy you got a problem or something?" asked Iketani instantly.

"Sorry what?" Keisuke said.

"I said you got your cig over my S13 man."

"It was an accident." Keisuke shrugged as he walked away.

Growling, Iketani spoke. "How'd you like it if I-"

Kenji stopped him. "He's not worth it."

Kenta spoke to Keisuke before I could. "He's not worth it either man. I know how a Silvia should look. Believe me, that S13 is total garbage."

"All right that's enough!" Iketani shrugged off Kenji. "What makes you all so interested in this race anyway?"

"We had nothing else better to do tonight. But believe me, the Red Suns want nothing to do with racing fans like you all. That Speed Stars sticker looks like it came outta the bargain bin buddy. Same with those tires." Keisuke made Kenta chuckle at this. "Along with your whole ride."

Before I could stop this, Iketani balled his fists. "Racing fans? What do you mean!? We're street racers just like you!"

"That implies someone like you knows how to race. I bet little Kenta here who just got his license could smoke you in like three corners." Keisuke smiled at this. "Only thing missing from your car is a baby bonnet."

I had the self control to not laugh but I couldn't say the same for the rest of the checkpoint. I could tell even Sayuki had trouble keeping her laughter in.

Before Iketani could say anything, Keisuke spoke when Iketani opened his mouth. "Face it. You amateurs can't even touch the Red Suns. Look what we did to the Night Kids, and even they have a training schedule."

"Yeah well-" Iketani struggled but he was clearly embarrassed in front of the entire checkpoint full of street racers. "We have a training schedule too."

Kenta laughed getting in on the bashing. "Yeah what is it? Having tea parties and sleepovers until everyone gets tired and goes home?"

Keisuke, who generally was in a bad mood and only smiled to piss people off, laughed very loudly with his protege. The entire checkpoint was full of laughter.

"Damn look at that S13's muffler. It looks like it came out of a junkyard!"

"Whole car looks like it came out of a junkyard!" another racing fan got in on the laughter.

Suddenly, I slapped both Kenta and Keisuke so hard across the face the whole checkpoint stopped laughing.

I walked forward and bowed my head to Itsuki, Kenji, and Iketani, knowing Takumi was only there to learn about FFs more. "I apologize for my teammates' behavior. The Akagi Red Suns never are about disrespect."

Before I could offer my hand to shake Iketani's, Daito was already there.

Knowing how important he was, Iketani accepted.

By the time they stopped shaking hands, a racing fan saw headlights approach.

"Here they come!"

I saw Takumi pay close attention to the del Sol.

The checkpoint took a collective gasp seeing Ikkiyama attack.

"He's moving ahead from the outside!?" an S13 driver asked.

The way he angled in from the outside was amazing. It was fluid, it was quick, it was a near perfect turn.

Trying to match the green del Sol's speed, the MR2 shook and the driver lost control temporarily.

I could see Keisuke's pass in Akagi had the same effect on Takumi.

Dusting the course's downhill ace, Kozo flew off downhill. Zooming downhill loudly, the VTEC engine humming the whole time.

He was shocked by how quick the del Sol cornered.

"So…" a racing fan said.

"Fast…"

I looked off downhill.

Coming off the corner, the Gamer told me Kozo Ikkiyama was at LV 75. He would be the gatekeeper indeed.