Chapter 1868: The Many Racers


    ?


    "And here we are, everyone, what you''ve been waiting the whole damn year! The Golden Spire Race is about to begin!"


    RUMBLE!


    Suddenly, countless glowing lights surrounded the racing area, as several spaceships, some of them looking bulky and enormous, and some slender and minimalistic lined up across the painted floor.


    An announcer resembling a floating silver robot started talking to a microphone, several holographic screens showing up across the skies, the audience to the race also showing up, thousands of people sitting around the starting line.


    "WOOOOOOHHHH!!!"


    People of all shapes and sizes, of all races and genders, and of all living and unliving kinds celebrated, the Golden Spire Race was one of the few events most people looked forward as entertainment from their monotonous lives in the colony and the annexeds.


    "Here your host to bring you yet another Golden Spire Race to everyone in this beautiful colony system!" said the robot, floating around as he raised his arms. "Carpio!"


    "OOOHHHH!"


    It seemed he was someone very popr, Drake and his family nced the scene while inside their spaceship, the most fancy looking of them all, a simple yet effective design, with a sharp end and wide wings, of gold and silver.


    "And of course, how could I do this without her?" Carpio winked at the audience. "My co- host and dear sister, Prosciutto!"


    Another robot of the same model as him appeared, but more feminine looking, floating in midair while releasing mes of pink color.


    "Thank you so much for having me again, my dear brother!" Prosciutto said. "It looks like after a few dys, the race is finally, FINALLY about to start! I bet most people got already bored of waiting, right?"


    "YEAH!"


    "IT WAS ABOUT TIME!"


    "WOOOHHH!"


    People cheered and roared in unison; most had been bored they had to wait so long due toplications revolving around a certain Whalebug.


    But things could finally start for real, and everyone was looking forward to it the most!


    "It looks like today we got a lot of new faces! Most of the previous participants didn''t make it out alive after all!"ughed Carpio. "What do you think of them and their ships, Prosciutto?"


    The two robots floated above the participants.


    "I think they look pretty sleek!" said the female robot. "Although there are a few of them that are really bringing my attention! Look at that ck spaceship over there, bulky and full of spikes! Who might the pilot be?"


    Suddenly, the window of the spaceship opened, revealing a muscr cactus man with red spikes, wearing sunsses.


    "Hey!"


    Everyone cheered the moment he greeted them.


    "WOOOOHHH!"


    "I cannot believe it! The winner of the previous race, Mister Spike John in the flesh and fruit!"ughed Prosciutto.


    "I wonder what sort of traps he''ll employ today! Will he get the big prize again?!" asked Carpio.


    "I''m taking the prize again; these losers aren''t even worth any effort! I''m sweeping the floor with them!"ughed Spike John.


    Drake nced at the man from afar with his family.


    "So that''s the previous race''s winner?" he wondered. "Hm, he looks kind of average at most." "He does look that way," nodded Bedann. "But let''s not underestimate him, dear."


    "I would listen to your wife," said the Bullet Demon, sitting down as the co-pilot. "That man might seem friendly and hrious but he''s a cunning bastard, an ouw that specializes on the creation of powerful psychic energy-powered gadgets and traps. He is a known criminal that has been chased by the confederation for years."


    "So they even let criminals participate? Is this legal at all?" Mirandained.


    "The Golden Spire Race is hosted by several groups, some of them belong to the underworld, but due to the connections revolving money and more money, even thew is bend to their will," said the Bullet Demon. "Hence why people often times takew on their own hands... like I did."


    "So it''s anything goes pretty much," said Bedann, nodding. "Oh well..."


    The robots continued chatting and presenting each participant.


    Until they eventually reached Drake''s spaceship.


    "You know what brother? This one ship has brought all my attention to be honest!" said Prosciutto. "It is so fancy and beautiful, and it looks like it was made for this race! What do you think?"


    "I agree! I think the design alone has gained itself some fans already," nodded Carpio. "So what do the crowd think, do you like it or nah?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "WOOOOHHH!"


    The people cheered happily after hearing Carpio speak, it seemed they indeed liked it quite a lot.


    "Hahah, they love it!"ughed Carpio. "Anyways, we wonder what pilots are there? It seems we''re registered a huge family. Apparently, a racing team! Drake is the pilot with...


    What?!"


    Suddenly, Carpio gasped, as the screens showed the appearance of a living legend of the gxy, a bounty hunter, ouw, and living, walking menace.


    "The Bullet Demon is his co-pilot?!"


    The people in the entire audience cheered, but were also shocked and amazed, as they saw his robotic appearance on the big screen.


    "That seems to be the case, brother!" Prosciutto nodded. "I wonder what sort of alliance this demon has made with this man named Drake for him to cooperate with the whole family he


    has!"


    "We''ll have to wait and see what happens now, this entire race is shaping to be the craziest ever!"ughed Carpio.


    Drake was growing tired of these twomentators talking constantly, but he analyzed the


    other challengers.


    "There''s nine more aside from us, so we''re exactly ten..." he said, analyzing things


    thoroughly. "Do you know any of them?"


    "No," said the Bullet Demon. "All of these are strangers to me, aside from the winner, most other racers all die. It''s a wild race... But I''m sure that with everyone here, it shouldn''t be


    impossible to win."


    "Let''s hope for that," nodded Drake. "Hm? Oh, finally!"


    Drake gasped as he saw that the screens were finally showing numbers.


    The countdown started at 100, and it slowly went down.


    "In just a hundred seconds the race will finally begin,dies and gentlemen!" said Carpio.


    "We wish all participants good luck!" nodded Prosciutto. "And please, entertain the masses!"


    "WOOOOHHHH!"


    The time hase, thest challenge was about to begin.