### Chapter Two: Racing and Rivalries

Speaking of bumpy RIDES, one of our money-making businesses is underground bets. Racing and fighting are over them all, but at the top stands racing—bike racing and car racing. Well, it may not earn much, but IT IS IMPORTANT TO WIN THESE RACES. It's usually against the Sapphire Panthers (I still have no idea where in this puddle-doop world they got a wrecky name like this), one of our rival gangs. There's a saying here: if you win tracks, you win streets, and it's often true. If you win races, we get money, more trust, and more... something (LOOK, I AM NOT THAT GUY WHO KNOWS EVERY POINT OF THIS GANG STUFF, I AM JUST IN THE GANG BECAUSE RIKU'S IN AND THE RACE IS IMPORTANT, huh!!!!!). Results vary every now and then.

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It was late at night, a couple of years ago. Riku and I were gearing up for a race against the Sapphire Panthers. The stakes were high, and tensions were even higher. Winning this race meant securing our hold over the downtown district.

"Stay sharp, Zane," Riku muttered as we revved our engines. "We've got to win this."

The race began\, engines roaring like wild beasts in the night. We were neck and neck with the Panthers\, the streets flashing by in a blur of lights and shadows. Just as we hit the final stretch\, a shot rang out. *BANG!* Chaos erupted. The sound of gunfire filled the air\, and the race turned into a full-blown shootout.

"GET DOWN!" Riku shouted, swerving his bike to avoid the hail of bullets.

The Sapphire Panthers had set us up. They weren't here to race; they were here to take us out. We fought back, our gang members returning fire, but it was clear we were outnumbered and outgunned.

Amidst the chaos, I saw Riku's bike go down. My heart stopped. "OH GOD "

But Riku wasn't down for long. He sprang back up, grabbing his pistol and firing back with precision and fury. We managed to fight our way out, retreating with injuries but no fatalities. It was a close call and a harsh lesson learned. The streets were no longer just about racing; they were about survival.

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Back to the present, the lessons from that night still haunt us. We know that winning the races isn't just about glory. It's about maintaining our dominance, ensuring our survival, and proving to everyone that the Black Rose is a force to be reckoned with. And for Riku, it's about more than that—it's about a future where he can be with Hana, free from the shadows of gang life.

We ride hard, we fight harder, and we never back down. Because in this world, winning isn't just about crossing the finish line first. It's about making sure you have the strength and will to keep racing, no matter what gets thrown your way.

Being in the gang means being the part of a huge family, society may downgrade us but for us this is what we are .

Buckle up, because things are about to get even bumpier.

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