As those who have read the first iteration, and the Steel Ball Run manga, the next section will be the dense forest.
"Whoo! We made it out!" Gwen exclaimed as she and her group managed to stray to the side of the mass of riders.
"It is not a good plan to stay in the middle. A lot of the leaders are ahead now!" Owen exclaimed.
"Even if we are in the lead, the chances of us taking the time bonus is still slim. There are too many factors we can't take account for." Millie stated. "What we need to do is to scope the field for potential team members."
"All the more reason to go for the leaders. We won't be able to see any good contenders in the back." Gwen stated.
"The river is up ahead!" Priya pointed to the dried up river. "Once we jump, we ride around the group. Make sure to find someone we can team up with."
"Alright." The other three agreed.
Carmen and Chase were seen nearing the South Park kids. The two saw the crash from afar and went ahead as well to take the opportunity as well as check up on them.
"Hey, are you okay?" Carmen asked.
"Eh, I've been through worse." Kenny stated. "You're the superthief, right?
"Are you guys needing teammates? You don't have much in terms of numbers." Wendy was concerned for the two.
"Yeah, we admit we don't have that many allies here." Chase stated.
"To be honest, I'm not looking to win." Carmen explained. "But, I've decided to help this guy win as well."
"You act like I can't handle myself, Sandiego." Chase raised an eyebrow here.
"If Jules were here, she'd say otherwise. I hope you don't treat your horse like how you treat your cars." Carmen smirked.
"I thought we left that chapter behind." Chase was perplexed by what he's hearing.
"Wow, can you team up with us? We also need a chance for at least one of us to make it to the Top 5." Kyle asked.
"We can help you, but seeing the flaming competition around us, there's no guarantees." Carmen stated. "You're gonna need the skills of a superthief at your disposal."
"Great. Glad to have you on the team." Stan stated.
We then see Aloy, Octane and Inspector Gadget at the front, with the red headed huntress still maintaining her lead. In front of them was the forest, and they knew they had to turn and go around it.
"Okay, here's the forest. Time for a sharp left." Octane stated.
But seemingly ignoring this fact, Aloy was seen charging straight into the forest for a shortcut. Octane was perplexed by this, then smirked behind his mask in the face of thrilling competition.
"Is that how we're gonna play it, huh? You're an interesting one." Octane calmly exclaimed.
Octane quickly followed Aloy into the forest in hopes to pass her and gain the lead. Inspector Gadget also followed the two into it.
"Shit! They went into the forest?!" Stan exclaimed.
"No time, it's too dangerous to follow them. We are going around the forest now." Kenny ordered. "I'll try to go ahead again. In fall back due to an accident again,
"Good plan." Wendy smirked.
Katara, Toph and Zuko were seen passing the newly formed group. The new group were surprised to see the bender team's horses, with a small later of water covering every surface of the horses' legs.
"What? What's water gonna do?" Kyle asked.
"I'd like to see you figure it out, chumps!" Toph exclaimed.
"These must be the benders. If my assumption is to be believed, their abilities may be able to control chi of the horses." Carmen stated. "In turn, that layer of water is designed to prevent fatigue of the horses. They can go as fast as they want to without slowing down."
"...wow. You're pretty observant." Toph was speechless by this quick observation.
"That doesn't matter. They have the upper hand." Kenny exclaimed.
As they neared the forest, the bender team turned left to go around the forest. The other group decides to follow them as it's too dangerous to ride through the forest.
"Well, it seems we have a bit of a detour here." Izzy ran into the forest after the leaders.
Using her surprisingly fast sprinting ability, Izzy is able to catch up to Aloy, Octane and Inspector Gadget in the forest manouvering through the compact trees.
"I'm gonna get you, leprechaun." Inspector Gadget exclaimed.
"Huh? The hell's a leprechaun?" Octane looked back in confusion.
Aloy also looked back upon hearing this strange sentence. In the confusion of the two, they accidentally crash into trees at the same time.
"Gah! Man. What a rush." Octane exclaimed.
"Better get back up." Aloy rubbed her head in pain.
"Gogo Gadget, Reach-around!" Inspector Gadget's voice was heard.
As the two try to stand up, Inspector Gadget leapt off his horse and wrapped is extendable arms around Octane.
"I've got you now, leprechaun!" Inspector Gadget exclaimed.
"What the- what is a leprechaun?!" Octane exclaimed.
"Huh. This is a strange sight to be seeing in a race." Aloy crossed her arms in amusement.
"You seem to know what this bumbling idiot is talking about. Can you get him off of me?" Octane frustratingly asked.
"I don't think I can. Even I am at a loss on what a leprechaun is." Aloy stated. "If I were to guess, he thinks you're a magical being."
"Now that I have captured you, you are obligated by leprechaun law to give me a wish." Inspector Gadget stated.
"Okay, how about this. I won't give you a wish, but I will give you this screwdriver." Octane pulls out a screwdriver from his pouch. "This a magical screwdriver that will protect you from any bad luck that comes your way."
"Really?!" Inspector Gadget's eyes turn wide.
Inspector Gadget grabs the screwdriver and hugs Octane with his extended arms. Aloy lightly chuckled at this before hopping back on her horse.
This light mood breaks the moment Aloy sees Izzy sprinting past them, with a wild laugh accompanying her.
"Whoo! Fun!" Izzy yelled out.
"Ah crap!" Aloy immediately went back to riding her horse.
We then see Jim, Steve and Marinette getting close to the forest. Seeing an opportunity, Jim takes out his Trollhunter Amulet and holds it forward.
"For the good of all, Daylight is mine to command!" Jim yells out an incantation.
In an instant, a blue light envelops Jim's entire body. And from the light he emerged with the Daylight Armor and Excalibur, a sight that definitely intrigued Marinette.
"Finally found a use?" Steve asked.
"I do. Now form a beeline. This needs me at the forefront." Jim streches his arm a bit.
As the three create a beeline with Jim in the lead, Jim reaches for two small blades situated on his calves.
"These will make quick work of the branches." Jim stated.
Jim attaches the blades to each other, and tosses them like a boomerang into the forest. Whether it was a good throwing arm or Jim's Trollhunter magic, the connected blades began to fly through the forest cutting off any branches in the way of the group.
"Whoa-ho!" Marinette exclaimed.
"Now, follow my lead!" Jim yelled.
This action doesn't go unnoticed though, as Josee, Paul, Law, Scout and Heavy to follow them into the forest.
"More people are heading into the forest. Should we… should we follow them?" Rampart was confused by this.
"Don't let your thirst for competition get in the way of your better judgement. We focus on taking a tactically sound option in acquiring the time bonus." Caustic stated.
"As if we're in a squad anymore. Come on, Ramya, let's ditch this bozo." Mirage stated.
"Ha! Now you're speaking my language!" Rampart exclaimed.
Mirage, Rampart and Wattson leave Caustic to charge into the forest. This left Loba to be the only one with him.
"So, what's your excuse?" Caustic asked.
"Oh, I agree with you. I just don't want to be within 10 feet of you." Loba stated. "Ya!"
Loba immediately rides forth as Caustic stared annoyed at the situation.
Penny and Talon were seen nearing the opening of the forest created by Jim's beeline.
"Are you sure this is where he went?" Talon asked regarding Inspector Gadget.
"I heard him talking about catching a leprechaun. He may be talking about that daredevil with the stim packs." Penny stated.
"And what makes you think he'd be in here?" Talon asked.
"Do you seriously think none of these people would consider going through the forest as a shortcut? That daredevil definitely went here, and if he's here, then Uncle Gadget is here as well."
The two ride into the forest and quickly see the other people who followed Jim's beeline.
"Outta my way!" Josee made her way closer to Jim's team.
"Stand down, lavender extract!" Scout threw an insult.
"I prefer lilac mist!" Josee stated.
"Now this is competition!" Paul exclaimed.
"Well this was unexpected." Steve commented.
"I guess you can say that." Marinette stated. "Fortunately for us, she can't go around our beeline to risk getting hit by branches."
"Good. We just have to worry about the leaders for the time being." Jim smiled with determination. "Speaking of which…"
Jim pointed a little bit forward to see Aloy and the running Izzy neck and neck with each other, effortlessly weaving through the thick forest without the need of Jim's blades which they've outran.
"Is that girl running barefoot?!" Steve asked. "Well that's ballsy."
"They're outrunning my blades, we won't be able to catch up to them without putting ourselves at risk." Jim stated.
"It seems we're at a standstill. We have to figure out what to do once we leave the forest." Marinette stated.
"Yepaa!" Octane's voice was heard.
Octane was seen nearing Aloy and Izzy, trying to steal the lead away from them. Penny and Talon sped up at the sight, nearing the beeline along with Mirage, Rampart and Wattson.
"There's the daredevil!" Talon yelled.
"But where's Uncle Gadget?" Penny asked.
"Whoohoo!" Inspector Gadget was heard.
The group turn to see Inspector Gadget holding up his newly acquired "lucky screwdriver" with enthusiastic vigor.
"Once I get the grand prize, I'll be bound to get lucky!" Inspector Gadget celebrated with his eyes closed.
"The Inspector's eyes are closed. Sooner or later, he'll fall." Heavy stated.
"Well, I'd like to see that happen." Josee smirked.
But before that could happen, a small pebble was accidentally kicked backwards by Izzy, and it was redirected by Inspector Gadget's screwdriver.
"Whoa! That was close!" Izzy looked back in surprise.
The redirected pebble made its way in front of the beeline, and it strikes Jim's blade off course. This in turn stopped the clearing of branches and the way is now blocked by the thick branches.
"What the- stop!" Jim yelled out.
"Whoa!" Marinette exclaimed.
The original beeline managed to make a successful halt, but the racers behind them weren't so lucky. Due to the initial surprise, Josee, Paul, Law, Heavy and Scout turned in a panic and crashed into the trees.
"Whoa! Man, that hurt!" Law exclaimed.
"Is everyone okay?" Paul asked.
"Eh. About as okay as you can expect." Josee rolled her eyes as she was seen hanging by one arm caught between two branches.
"Where did the blades go?" Steve asked.
The blades were seen flying in a different direction, and it hits Inspector Gadget off his horse.
"Whoa!" Inspector Gadget yelped.
"And there are the blades. Yikes." Jim stated as he caught his blades.
"Wait, something's wrong." Marinette noticed something.
Hearing this remark, the group looked closer as Inspector Gadget's horse rode farther and farther away. But as it turns out, Inspector Gadget hasn't actually fallen off his horse. One of his extendable legs was still clinging onto the saddle and he was still hanging on.
"Whoawhaaa!" Inspector Gadget yelled in exhilaration.
"What the?!" Josee exclaimed upon seeing this.
"See that? Now that's lucky." Paul stated.
Even without the control of Inspector Gadget, his horse still managed to seamlessly move through the forest and closed in on the leaders.
"Hey fellows! I'm still in the game!" Inspector Gadget exclaimed.
"Well, I wasn't expecting this race to be as amusing as it is. You're an interesting one, cyborg." Aloy stated.
"Cut the chatter, huntress. I can see the edge of the forest from here!" Octane exclaimed.
"This party is only getting started! Up next is the downhill slope!" Izzy yelled out.
"Then if that's the case… HIYAAA!" Aloy then put his horse into gear.
Writer's block all around, but this chapter is now out. With the forest comes an insight on the competition and a glimpse of the interactions to come.