The race has only just begun…

Despite the initial chaos, all the boats quickly set off, starting the race. Some boats soared forward with great momentum, leaving others behind.

(Everyone is so hasty, they went all out!)

— ...Domingos, we're falling behind. — Lucas commented, watching several boats ahead of them.

— Don't worry, if this race were that easy, you wouldn't see boats as large as mine — the old man replied with a small smile. — Now come, you're going to take the helm.

— ...Huh!? I don't even know how to drive a car! — the young man retorted, surprised by the proposal.

— Car? What are you talking about? Come over here, I'll teach you.

— ...Okay.

Lucas approached Domingos, who controlled the boat's helm, and noticed something resembling a GPS. It displayed some red dots and a green dot, representing enemy boats and the old man's boat, respectively. There were also some distant yellow dots whose meaning the young man didn't know.

— Take this. Keep it with you — Domingos said, handing over the GPS. — Steer this boat while avoiding anything that appears on it.

— But I have no idea how to pilot a boat!

— Just turn the helm. What more do you need to know? — he replied, allowing Lucas to take control. — Oh, and take this. It'll protect you.

Domingos handed over a piece of paper with strange symbols on it. It looked like an image of a turtle but in a peculiar way.

— ... What's this for? — the young man asked, examining the paper.

— That's a thought-guided shield. Just think of the word "enter," and you'll understand.

Lucas thought of the word, and the paper instantly disappeared from his hands. Looking around, he found himself enclosed in a transparent circular shield, as if inside a sphere.

— With this, you'll be protected from anyone who attacks you. — Domingos explained, tapping on the shield to demonstrate.

— How do I get rid of it? It's kinda weird to move with. — Lucas commented, feeling that he couldn't get too close to Domingos, as the shield prevented him. There was a minimal space between the young man and the shield, making it impossible for him to get too close.

— It's better not to think about that since it's very dangerous to move without it. But just think of the word "exit" to deactivate.

The young man thought of the word, and the shield dissipated. However, as a precaution, Domingos made the shield return inside Lucas's body.

— ... Did you put it inside me?

— This is a thought-guided rune, so it's possible to do something like that as well.

After this explanation, Domingos turned his attention back to the race, watching the boats ahead.

— Get ready to evade. We're approaching the start of the race.

— Start? But didn't it already start- — before Lucas could complete his sentence, a loud explosion occurred, launching a boat in flames into the air. Despite the blast that propelled it, the boat seemed to remain intact.

(Oh, one was already blown up! It looks like a beautiful firework! As expected from the Incêndio Family... Hey, I'm still broadcasting! I won't let anyone take my place! Wai-)

(...)

Everyone ignored the comments coming from someone who apparently shouldn't be doing the broadcast.

— We're getting closer. avoid as much as you can! — Domingos said before grabbing something resembling an anchor.

— Why don't you do this!? — Lucas exclaimed, getting a little desperate. — And do I need to avoid those yellow dots!?

— Have other things to worry about... — the old man replied, ignoring Lucas's question.

After saying that, Domingos moved to the bow of the boat, observing the other boats in the race, and began to speak.

— We need to eliminate some of the competitors. — he said with determination in his voice.

Domingos then firmly gripped the anchor, swiftly spinning it before launching it with surprising force toward a nearby boat. The impact was powerful, causing the boat to rear up almost to the point of capsizing, while its front was completely destroyed.

In a fluid motion, Domingos pulled the anchor back in a circular arc, hitting another boat nearby. The boat flipped on its side and crashed loudly onto the sand, eliminating another competitor.

Lucas watched, completely impressed by the old fisherman's formidable strength. The power and skill with which he wielded the anchor were astonishing.

Meanwhile, the other competitors began to realize the threat posed by Domingos and his boat. Some tried to avoid direct confrontation by swerving out of his path, while others devised their own strategies to face him.

At the same time, Lucas noticed that the yellow dots were just ahead of them, and although he wasn't sure what they meant, he prepared to dodge them. Tension mounted as the boat approached the unknown obstacles, requiring agility and quick reflexes to avoid any collisions.

— Why did I accept this old man's proposal... — Lucas muttered, briefly reflecting on his choices.

However, this was just the beginning of the ordeal because as soon as Lucas began to steer away from the yellow dots, a sandstorm erupted, drastically reducing visibility.

— Where did this come from!? — the young man exclaimed, completely lost.

— Watch out! — Domingos said, sharply turning the helm to the right and then back.

— I can't see anything!! What's happening!?

— It seems we've awakened an Arevaldo! Be careful not to be swept away by the winds!

— An Are-what!?

— Look! — the old man pointed towards a figure emerging from the sandstorm.

The figure that emerged was that of a giant duck, with a shiny sand-colored plumage and piercing eyes. Its imposing and unpredictable presence filled the air with unease.

At the same time, a thunderous roar echoed just below the bird, followed by a powerful fire explosion that struck it head-on. Then, a small winged being with dragon wings charged at the bird's chest, hurling it towards an unusual boat.

This boat was entirely made of pure ice, with a crystalline and icy appearance. Before the bird could collide with the vessel, an immense ice spear emerged from the boat, piercing the animal with lethal precision and extinguishing its life instantly.

— It seems like it's over... — Lucas murmured.

— No, it's coming. — Domingos warned.

— Who?

— A really tough one to deal with... Here it comes!

With that said, the ground began to shake violently, as if an earthquake were occurring. The tremor was so intense that several boats began to capsize, throwing their crews onto the desert sands.

— Damn, I'll have to activate it. — Domingos said, pressing a button on the helm.

Instantly, a turtle-shaped shield appeared around the boat, protecting it from the tremors and turbulent waves. The shield was composed of a layer of bright energy that absorbed the impacts and kept the vessel stable.

While the tremor gradually subsided, a gigantic creature emerged from the sands, swallowing the desert duck whole. It was a colossal serpent, whose impressive size indicated its ability to swallow Domingos' boat with ease.

With a single sweep of its tail, nearly all the boats were sent flying. Only those more agile, such as those from the great families or the dragon girl's boat, managed to avoid the impact.

Unfortunately, Domingos' boat didn't escape unscathed.

— AAAHHHH!! — Lucas exclaimed, fearing that death was imminent. He wasn't launched into the air only because the old man held onto him tightly.

While they were still suspended in the air, Domingos opened a peculiar bag filled with fish and pointed at the boat's sails. This caused the vessel to glide briefly, allowing it to stabilize before landing near the other boats that had managed to evade.

Lucas and Domingos were reunited with the other competitors, each assessing the damage suffered during the Sand Serpent's attack. Tension hung in the air, but the determination in their expressions showed they wouldn't give up easily.

— It looks like everyone wants to fight... — Domingos said with a fierce smile.

— You surprise me, fisherman. — spoke the elder of the Cubo de Gelo Family, who stood beside them. — Although... Is that boy alright?

Lucas was sitting on the ground, breathing deeply as he tried to calm himself. All the commotion was too much for a modern young man like him.

— Is he really so weak that he can't handle this? — the girl from the Cubo de Gelo Family commented innocently.

— What are you all talking about!? Let's just beat the crap out of this worm already!! — exclaimed the girl from the Incêndio Family, full of energy.

— Ugh... — sighed the dragon girl, while the Autômato family remained silent.

As everyone prepared for battle, a voice devoid of a sense of humor interrupted them.

(I'm back! I'm back! Oh, are you going to face the Desert Serpent!? What a grand spectacle! I'm rooting for you all!)

The voice completely disrupted the atmosphere. Even the serpent seemed hesitant about what to do.

(Hm? Oh, it seems an uninvited being is approaching... This isn't good.)

— An uninvited being? — Lucas thought.

If even the Serpent was considered a guest, what kind of being was approaching? That was the question on everyone's mind.

After a few seconds, they found out. The young man, being the weakest, began to feel intense pain in his body, as if his muscles were being crushed.

— W-what... — he tried to speak but couldn't.

When he looked at Domingos, the old man had an extremely serious expression as he stared at the horizon. Even the huge serpent, which was ready to fight, began to retreat, diving back into the desert sands.

With great difficulty, Lucas directed his gaze in the direction indicated by Domingos and saw a silhouette in the midst of the sands. It was very distant, and he couldn't identify it, but he felt intense headaches every time he looked in that direction.

After a few seconds, the being disappeared, and the young man's pain vanished as if it were a joke.

— W-what was that?! — Lucas shouted, his body still trembling from shock.

— Young man, I can only give you a warning. never approach that monster... — Domingos replied, turning back to the helm. — Rest well. We still have a long way to go.

Thus, the race resumed, but Lucas couldn't concentrate, as a screen appeared in front of him.

[0.002%]

[To be continued...]

??? — This chapter brought a lot of information, but it's unlikely we'll get answers anytime soon, right?

[I cannot inform you.]

??? — As I suspected... By the way, what were you doing there? Stop causing confusion!

??? — Huh!? I was just doing the commentary!

??? — But wasn't there a designated team for that?

??? — I dunno...

??? — ... What did you do to them? I saw they tried to interrupt your broadcast.

??? — I just made them disappear for a while. After the race, I'll bring them back!

??? — How can someone like you be so problematic...