The portal spat them out onto solid ground with an abrupt whump, and suddenly, they were no longer in the tutorial chamber.

  The five adventurers stumbled forward, instinctively reaching for weapons, but there was no ambush, no monsters, no immediate danger. Instead, they found themselves standing on a massive stone platform, the starting line of Golem’s Gambit’s second-floor race track.

  Wide lanes stretched ahead, winding and twisting into the distance, disappearing behind towering arcane structures that loomed over the track like ancient ruins repurposed for spectacle. High above, floating lanterns cast a soft glow over the course, illuminating the runes carved into the walls that pulsed in steady rhythm with the magic powering the dungeon. A faint hum of energy filled the air, thrumming beneath their feet.

  But what caught their attention first—waiting neatly in a row at the center of the platform—were the karts.

  Five sleek metal-framed racing machines, their arcane cores humming faintly, each fitted with sturdy wheels, reinforced stabilizers, and a faintly glowing control interface. The body of each kart had a polished finish reflecting the dungeon’s ambient light, and upon closer inspection, each one was subtly customized for the driver.

  Leon stepped forward first, staring at the vehicle in front of him as though it were some kind of arcane beast he was meant to tame. He rested a hand on the side, feeling the smooth metal beneath his palm. “Alright. I’ll admit it—this is impressive.”

  Garrick whistled, running a hand along the frame of his own kart. “This is beautiful.” He smirked. “It’s a shame none of us know how to actually work these contraptions.”

  Elias crossed his arms, staring at his kart like it had personally insulted him. “This is ridiculous.”

  Lucian gave his kart a skeptical look, tilting his head. “You know, I half expected them to be drawn by magic horses or something. This? This is something else.”

  Mira circled hers cautiously. “So… we just sit in these things and hope for the best?”

  Leon let out a breath, glancing at the waiting row of machines. “There’s only one way to find out.”

  Ever the leader, Leon took the initiative. He climbed into his kart with a warrior’s confidence, gripping the steering wheel and planting his boots firmly on the pedals.

  Nothing happened.

  “…Alright.” He frowned. “How do I start this thing?”

  The karts hummed softly, responding to their presence, but they didn’t seem to move on their own. Garrick, meanwhile, had already flopped into his seat, gripping the wheel with obnoxious enthusiasm.

  “Alright, alright. Let’s see what this does—”

  He slammed his foot down on the accelerator.

  The kart lurched forward violently, wheels screeching against the stone as it shot off at full speed. Garrick let out a loud, startled yell as his vehicle veered hard to the left, spun in an uncontrollable half-circle, and barreled straight into Lucian’s kart.

  Lucian had only just barely sat down when the impact slammed him sideways. His kart skidded wildly, twisted sharply, and promptly spun in place before launching itself backward.

  “Oh, hell! ” Lucian snarled, gripping the wheel of his own kart desperately. He slammed his foot onto the brake—only to realize too late that he had hit the accelerator instead. His kart jerked violently, rocketing him straight toward Elias, who had been staring in absolute horror at the mess unfolding in front of him.

  “ No. No, NO— ”

  Elias tried to step out of the way, but Lucian’s kart clipped the side of his, sending it into a slow, completely ungraceful spin. The wizard’s attempt at stabilizing himself only resulted in his robes getting caught in the side frame, leaving him half-tangled in his own damn kart.

  Mira, the only one who had been waiting and observing, sighed deeply. “I cannot believe I'm associated with you people.”

  Leon, who had been watching with an expression torn between amusement and genuine concern, finally managed to coax his kart forward—slowly, carefully—keeping his hands firm on the steering wheel.

  "Alright, alright," he muttered. "Easy does it..."

  Garrick, now upright again and gripping his controls properly, had fully committed to embracing the madness. He tested the drift stabilizers, causing the kart to swerve dramatically before straightening out again. “Oh, this is fantastic.”

  Lucian, still cursing under his breath, finally got control of his kart. “If I die in here, I swear to the gods, I’m haunting all of you.”

  Mira smoothly got into hers, pressing the accelerator lightly. The kart responded immediately, rolling forward at a comfortable speed. She arched an eyebrow as she passed Elias, who was still untangling his robes.

  “Need help?”

  Elias glared daggers at her. “No.”

  Leon, who had finally found his groove, flashed a grin. “Alright. We’re getting the hang of it. Let’s line up and see what this dungeon throws at us next.”

  The portal behind them sealed shut, and ahead, a starting timer flared to life. A voice filled the air, signaling that the race was about to begin.

  "Drivers, prepare for the race! On your marks, get set..." the voice spoke with a robotic but smooth quality.

  Garrick revved his kart’s engine, smirking. “This is going to be glorious. ”

  Lucian groaned. “Or catastrophic.”

  Leon adjusted his gauntlets, eyes set forward. “Only one way to find out.”

  And with that, the Obsidian Blades rolled toward the starting line.

  "GO!" the mechanical voice nearly shouted.

  Leon reacted first, slamming his foot down on the accelerator. His kart lurched forward, its arcane engine roaring as the wheels gripped the stone track. Garrick was right behind him, whooping with excitement as he threw himself into the race with reckless enthusiasm. Mira followed more cautiously, glancing at the road ahead, while Elias and Lucian were less than graceful, their karts weaving wildly as they fought for control.

  Lucian gritted his teeth as his kart swerved dangerously close to the wall, barely managing to keep from colliding. "This is insane!"

  Garrick, already a good fifteen feet ahead of him, grinned over his shoulder. "No, this is amazing!"

  Ahead, the tunnel widened, and the five racers blasted into Razorwind Run—a perilous high-speed gauntlet of deadly mechanical hazards.

  The track opened into a long, sweeping corridor, lined with massive, swinging axes that carved through the air in perfect rhythm. Further ahead, spinning blade traps whirled, their edges gleaming in the dim light. Between them, narrow pathways twisted and curved, forcing precise maneuvers.

  Leon’s eyes narrowed as he assessed the incoming obstacles. He leaned into a turn, gripping the steering wheel tightly as his kart drifted cleanly past the first set of swinging axes. Garrick, laughing, shot past him, narrowly ducking as an axe whistled over his head.

  Mira, keeping a steady pace, studied the hazards carefully. She weaved between the spinning blades, her kart slipping effortlessly through a narrow gap as a razor-edged wheel sliced down just behind her.

  "Not bad," she murmured to herself.

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  Lucian and Elias, however, were less precise.

  "Move, move, move—!" Lucian yanked the wheel hard, barely dodging an incoming axe. His kart skidded sideways, forcing him to jerk the controls to avoid a second collision.

  Elias, gripping the wheel with white-knuckled tension, sneered as a hidden ranged trap activated—a spring-loaded crossbow bolt firing straight at his kart.

  He flicked a hand up instinctively—a quick magical barrier flared for just an instant, deflecting the shot before flickering out.

  Garrick saw it and barked a laugh. "Oh come on, that’s cheating!"

  Elias huffed. "I call it survival."

  The track veered sharply ahead, forcing them into a series of rapid turns as more hazards activated—rotating gears on the floor spun violently, threatening to throw them off course if they didn’t maneuver correctly.

  Leon took the inside curve, expertly drifting around the turn just as a massive axe slammed down behind him.

  Mira followed with ease, keeping smooth control over her kart.

  Lucian and Elias barely made it through, their karts wobbling from the abrupt shift in speed.

  Garrick, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. "Let’s see what these babies can do!" he shouted.

  His kart sped forward, threading cleanly through the remaining traps like he’d been born to do this.

  By the time they reached the exit of Razorwind Run, the party had fully adjusted to the race.

  Lucian smirked as he finally stabilized his kart. "You know… this is actually kind of fun."

  Leon grinned, feeling a thrill he hadn’t expected. "Told you. And this is just the start."

  They rushed ahead into the next room, engines roaring, excitement building—

  Then the track dropped away into a spiraling descent, and when they reached the bottom, the Clockwork Chase began.

  The moment they shot into the next chamber, the track shifted beneath their wheels—the smooth stone floor gave way to a series of interlocking gears, rotating platforms, and moving conveyor belts. The air filled with the whirring of clockwork machinery, and the faint clicking of something unseen.

  Leon took the lead, keeping his kart steady as he studied the shifting path ahead. The track twisted between massive interlocking cogs, forcing precise turns. Smaller gear-driven platforms spun in place, requiring just the right amount of speed to cross without being thrown off-course.

  Then came the pursuers.

  From the sides of the track, Clockwork Spiders skittered forward—metallic, many-legged constructs with glowing red eyes, their segmented limbs clanking against the shifting machinery. Above, Gearlings—small, goblin-sized automatons with wrench-like arms and thruster packs—descended from hanging rails, scanning for targets.

  Garrick grinned. “Oh, this just keeps getting better.”

  Lucian rolled his eyes, jerking his wheel to the side as a Clockwork Spider leaped toward him. The creature latched onto his kart’s frame, its legs digging into the metal plating.

  Lucian cursed, drew a dagger, and stabbed downward—the impact sent out a burst of sparks, and the spider jerked violently before falling apart.

  Elias, meanwhile, was handling his own problem. A Gearling swooped in from above, wrench raised.

  With a flick of his fingers, Elias sent a small pulse of magic upward—not an attack, just enough force to knock the minion away. The Gearling spun backward midair, recalibrated, then zoomed off to find another target.

  Mira, in contrast, barely seemed phased. She drifted past a trio of Clockwork Spiders, her kart weaving effortlessly between moving gears, while a gust of wind magic from her fingers nudged an incoming Gearling off course.

  Leon cut forward, his kart’s engine roaring as he took a hard turn over a shifting platform. “Everyone good?”

  Garrick snapped an arrow out of his quiver, twisted in his seat, and fired at a spider lunging for Lucian. The creature exploded in a mess of gears and scrap metal.

  Lucian gave him a half-smirk. “Not bad.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Garrick hit the next turn with ease, speeding up. “This is almost too easy.”

  The party had found their rhythm. The shifting cogs, the conveyor belts, the clockwork pursuers—none of it slowed them down. With each hazard, they adapted, their skills as adventurers translating into a natural feel for the race.

  The tension of the first stretch had given way to confidence. Excitement. Fun.

  They burst out of Clockwork Chase intact, laughing, adrenaline pumping, wheels screeching against stone.

  Mira, gripping her wheel, exhaled a breath of amusement. "I think I see the appeal now."

  Elias huffed. "I suppose… this isn’t entirely idiotic."

  Lucian smirked. "That’s the highest praise I’ve ever heard from you."

  Leon grinned, pushing forward. “Then let’s see if the next stretch keeps the streak alive.”

  The tunnel ahead curved sharply upward, leading into an open chamber where the entire track seemed to rise and fall in slow, mechanical motion.

  They were already accelerating into the next challenge when they realized just how different this room was.

  The moment they entered the chamber, the track transformed.

  The path ahead wasn’t solid. It was a series of massive, rising and falling stone spires, each platform shifting at irregular intervals, creating a constantly changing layout.

  The only way forward was to time their jumps carefully.

  Leon adjusted his grip on the wheel. “Stay focused! Watch the timing!”

  The first jumps were smooth. The platforms rose and fell in predictable patterns, giving them just enough time to read the movement and adjust their speed.

  Leon landed his kart on the first rising spire, then accelerated across a narrow bridge before catching the next jump.

  Mira followed with practiced ease, her druidic senses reading the flow of movement as if it were part of nature itself.

  Elias landed his a little hard, but his kart held steady.

  Lucian—still riding on a bit of reckless confidence—made the leap without hesitation.

  Then came Garrick.

  He hit the next rising spire just as it shuddered strangely beneath his kart.

  The movement was off. A stutter. A mechanical fault.

  He barely had time to react before the platform beneath him gave way, dropping too early, too fast—

  His kart slammed sideways, tilting over the edge. Garrick’s eyes widened as he jerked the wheel, trying to compensate—

  For a split second, it almost worked. The kart teetered, wheels skidding as he tried to jump forward—

  Then gravity won.

  The kart plummeted.

  It hit hard. Too hard.

  The impact was instant.

  There was no scream. No time for reaction.

  By the time the others realized what had happened, it was already over.

  Lucian, who had been right behind him, slammed on the brakes, his kart skidding dangerously close to the edge.

  “…Garrick?!”

  Silence.

  Leon twisted in his seat, searching the lower platforms, his chest tightening.

  Nothing. No sign of movement.

  Mira’s breath hitched. “He’s—”

  Elias’ hands were locked onto the wheel, his eyes staring at the spot Garrick had been seconds before. His voice was eerily calm. "He’s gone."

  The race didn’t stop.

  The spires kept shifting. The dungeon kept moving.

  But none of them did.

  Not yet.