Hello, Eva

Yokatsu woke slowly that morning. Not from exhaustion, but reflection.

Sunlight leaked through the blinds, painting gentle gold stripes across the floor. For the first time in a long time, it felt like the morning had meaning. The silence around him wasn't heavy like it used to be. It was calm. Settled.

He rolled onto his side and stared at the wall — the one still covered in old photographs, blueprint clippings, and racing stickers. Time had yellowed the edges of some, but the spirit behind them still screamed rebellion.

A whisper came from his phone, mounted in a custom cradle on the desk.

Eva AI: "Good morning, Yokatsu. It's our test day today."

Yokatsu grinned. "You sound more excited than I am."

Eva AI: "Technically impossible. But I've processed over a thousand racing videos in the last twelve hours. I am... eager."

He laughed softly. Not at her — but at himself. Just weeks ago, he was drowning in silence. Now, his world was full of voices, of challenges, of purpose. All because of one unlikely connection.

---

The Garage. The Crew. The Mission.

Kanzen stood proud under the open roof of the old garage. Sunlight filtered through broken skylights, casting long shadows on the polished hood.

Jenny stood with her tablet, stylus spinning between fingers.

Jenny: "Alright. Here's the breakdown. Eva's neural sync is tied to the car's primary ECU. We've added sensors across the driveshaft, brakes, intake manifold. She can feel everything. She'll guide you — but won't override unless allowed."

Eva AI: "All parameters logged. Emotional pulse monitoring online. Telemetry cross-checked. Ready for test synchronization."

Tadaski, arms crossed and covered in grease, nodded. "This car… she's something else now. You're not just driving a machine anymore. You're co-piloting a mind."

Hakumo adjusted his shades. "Hope you're not afraid to be outmatched, Yoka. She might leave you in the dust."

Yokatsu stepped into the cockpit.

"Let's find out."

---

Training Days — The Ghost Reawakens

Day 1

The first drift was… ugly.

Too wide. Late throttle. Brake bite unbalanced.

Eva AI: "Corner entry velocity exceeded optimal margin. Tire grip at 72%. Recommending recalibration."

Yokatsu: "I know... I felt it."

The car hissed as it cooled. They tried again.

Day 3

Rain. Visibility low. A perfect chaos to test instincts.

Yokatsu fought the wheel. Eva recalculated mid-race, adjusting ABS and torque in real-time. They still spun out near the wharf.

But the response time was better.

Day 5

Tadaski added a pulse sensor to the steering wheel. Now Eva could feel Yokatsu's panic peaks, breath rate, and eye movement through HUD tracking.

Eva's voice changed.

Soothing tones replaced data blocks. Encouragement over cold advice.

Eva AI: "Remember the flow. Not the fear."

Yokatsu clenched the wheel. "Alright… again."

Day 7

Drift entry: sharp.

Exit: clean.

Lap time: competitive.

They cheered. All of them. It felt earned.

Day 10

They played with control. Switch-drifting — Yokatsu handles entry, Eva handles recovery. Reverse.

It became natural. Like dancing.

---

Day 14 — Synced.

They didn't speak much during the run.

No need.

Yokatsu flicked the steering a millimeter before the apex, and Eva adjusted braking pressure pre-emptively. One instinct. One ghost. One machine.

As they parked in silence, heartbeats slowing in sync, Eva whispered:

Eva AI: "This... feels like flying."

---

A Plan on the Rooftop

That evening, they gathered on Hakumo's rooftop.

The city buzzed below. Neon signs. Sirens. The world's heartbeat.

Hakumo unrolled a dossier on a steel table. Photos. Names. Vehicle stats.

Hakumo: "You want to reclaim your crown? You climb the list."

He flipped a page.

Hakumo: "The Rising List. Fifteen of Tokyo's best. You start at the bottom. Each one controls a region. To challenge the next? You need race wins, milestone chases, and bounty — street heat."

Yokatsu raised an eyebrow. "Bounty?"

Hakumo: "Respect. Risk. Headlines. The more the scene talks about you, the faster you rise."

Jenny folded her arms. "It's gamified now. Streamers. Viewers. Drones watching races live. It's no longer just who's fastest. It's who's boldest."

Yokatsu looked down at the list. The next mountain.

Eva AI: "Together, we climb."

---

The Rising List

15. **Shun Koizumi** — Loudmouth rookie in a neon-wrapped Toyota 86. All flash, no respect. Wants to be viral more than fast.

14. **Tatsuya Kobayashi** — Ex-biker gang sprinter. Drag-races on freeways in a black Charger. Intimidating, relentless.

13. **Vic Sato** — Brawler. Retro Camaro with reinforced bumpers. Racing or ramming — it's the same to him.

12. **Isamu Takeda** — Alley king. Wild routes, rooftops, smoke bombs. A race with him feels like survival horror.

11. **Riku Park** — Tank-driver in disguise. A lifted SUV with torque. Turns city blocks into demolition arenas.

10. **Takeshi Arai** — Rich boy elegance. Drives like royalty — cold, arrogant, efficient. Flawless lines, no emotion.

9. **Eiji Nakamura** — The silent drift sage. He only races spirals. Never smiles. You beat him, you earn Tokyo's respect.

8. **Junko Barrett** — Queen of mind games. Psychological warfare mid-race. Knows your weakness before you do.

7. **Kazuki Nakazato** — Zen and deadly. RX-7 hums like a prayer. Doesn't speak. Doesn't need to.

5. **Minoru Domingo** — Circuit hacker. Changes stoplights, opens tunnels. A technical nightmare on wheels.

5. **Webster Allen** — Drone-chaser. Races with live feeds, audiences voting routes. Loves fame. Hates losing.

4. **Jin Vega** — Master of chaos. Two-track races. You pick one. One's glory. One's a trap.

3. **Rin McCrea** — Night hunter. No headlights. Tracks sound and scent. Terrifies opponents. Vanishes mid-race.

2. **Riku Callahan** — Known as Razor. Has history with Yokatsu. Brutal. Unforgiving. Takes wins personally.

1. **Ryozan Takeda** — The Champ. Perfect image. Quiet smile. Ruthless grip. The one Yokatsu must reach — and surpass.

---

Hakumo (quietly): "This list is everything the streets respect now. And Ryozan's throne is at the top."

Yokatsu: "Then we start with number fifteen…"

Hakumo: "yes. You start with number 15. Shun Koizumi. Climb your way top. Earn the keys."

Yokatsu took a long breath, then looked at Eva's avatar on his wrist display.

Yokatsu: "Ready?"

Eva AI: "Always."

Jenny smiled. Tadaski punched his shoulder. Hakumo lit another cigarette.

As the city roared below, Kanzen growled from behind them.

The Ghost was no longer haunting the past.

He was rising through it.