Mavuika also picked up the helmet hanging on the handlebars; it was a custom full-face helmet with a paint job matching the body of the motorcycle, also in that flame-like red.
She put the helmet on her head and skillfully fastened the buckle.
The visor was tinted, so her eyes couldn't be seen from the outside, but Tony could imagine that behind it must be a pair of focused and excited eyes.
Tony also climbed into the car and took a pair of sunglasses out of the glove box to put on.
The sports car's seats wrapped around him well, and the solid feedback from the steering wheel in his hands was reassuring.
He started the engine, and the V12 engine emitted a low, powerful roar, forming a stark contrast with the sharp roar of the motorcycle.
Two vehicles, two completely different sounds, but both represented speed and power.
"Is there any prize for winning?" Tony rolled down the window and asked, leaning his head out.
A race has to have some stakes, otherwise, what's the point?
Mavuika thought for a moment; she didn't really want anything in particular. Money, material goods, or even technology didn't mean much to her.
But since it was a race, there had to be something at stake.
"Hmm..." She tilted her head, the helmet slanting slightly with the movement. "I don't know. We can think about it later."
The answer was casual, but Tony liked it.
This showed that Mavuika wasn't racing for any specific purpose, but purely for the sake of the race itself. This attitude was very much like his own.
"OK." Tony made an OK gesture to indicate no problem.
He also began to look forward to this impromptu race.
Seeing that the two were really preparing to start racing, Howard, who had been standing at the entrance of the Villa, felt uneasy.
He walked over quickly with his cane, his face full of worry.
"Wait, Ms. Marvica, this..." Howard's voice carried a clear tone of dissuasion.
"This is too dangerous. Although there are few cars on this road, it is a public road after all, and there are quite a few curves..."
What he didn't finish saying was: You are the sun goddess of Asgard; if you had an accident while racing on Earth, the consequences would be unimaginable, and that kid Tony always drives like a maniac, what if...
Mavuika waved her hand to interrupt Howard's worry; even wearing a helmet, one could see her movements were filled with composure.
"It's fine, Howard." Mavuika's voice came from inside the helmet, a bit muffled but still clear.
"We'll just go for a spin and come back. Don't worry, I'll ensure safety."
When she said "ensure safety," her tone was very calm, but Howard understood the implication.
Given Mavuika's abilities, even if an accident did happen, she would have a way to ensure both of them were safe and sound.
This made him feel slightly more at ease, but looking at the motorcycle and the sports car, and seeing the two poised and ready, he still couldn't help but worry.
Tony, inside the car, didn't hear what the two were saying. The sports car had good sound insulation, and he had already rolled up the windows, and was adjusting the seat and rearview mirrors, making final preparations.
He fastened his seatbelt, gripped the steering wheel with both hands, and focused his gaze on the road ahead.
After he was ready, Tony rolled down the window and looked at Mavuika, signaling with his eyes when to start.
Mavuika rode the motorcycle to a position parallel with Tony. The motorcycle looked much smaller beside the sports car, but its poised stance was not inferior in the slightest.
The two vehicles were parked side by side on the road in front of the Villa, the roar of their engines rising and falling, as if they were conversing, or perhaps provoking each other.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows of the two vehicles on the road. The wind blew through the forest, carrying the rustling sound of leaves, and bird calls could occasionally be heard in the distance, but they were quickly drowned out by the sound of the engines.
Mavuika began the countdown.
"Three—"
Her voice was calm, but Tony could feel the anticipation contained within it.
"Two—"
Tony gripped the steering wheel tighter, placed his right foot lightly on the gas pedal, and leaned forward slightly.
The tachometer needle of the sports car was twitching slightly, and the sound of the engine was gradually rising.
"One!"
As the last number dropped, both of them stepped on the gas almost simultaneously!
At that moment, time seemed to slow down.
The motorcycle's rear wheel slipped slightly under the powerful torque, and the friction between the rubber and the ground emitted a sharp screech, leaving a faint tire mark.
The body of the motorcycle shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, Mavuika's body pressed close to the fuel tank to minimize wind resistance.
The sports car's reaction was equally swift; the four-wheel-drive system efficiently transferred 455 horsepower to the four wheels, and the car body hardly slipped at all, as if it had been suddenly pushed by an invisible giant hand.
The acceleration pressed Tony tightly into his seat, the sensation of being pushed back intense enough to make his adrenaline surge.
The two vehicles, like two streaks of red lightning, shot out instantly!
In the first few dozen meters, the motorcycle, relying on its lighter weight and more direct power delivery, took a lead of half a car length.
Mavuika could feel the wind whistling past the sides of her helmet, and the scenery in front of her receded rapidly.
She stared intently at the road ahead, her brain working at high speed, calculating the entry point, braking point, and exit point for every curve.
Tony pursued relentlessly; the sports car's acceleration began to show its advantage in the mid-range. After the RPM exceeded 4000, the true power of the V12 engine erupted.
He quickly caught up to the motorcycle, and the two vehicles drove side by side, the roar of their engines echoing on the empty road.
The first curve appeared ahead; it was a right turn, not very sharp, but the road surface had some undulations.
Mavuika barely slowed down. She slightly adjusted her center of gravity before entering the curve, and the motorcycle cut into the curve at an astonishing angle, its tires gripping the road surface tightly as it traced a smooth arc.
That cornering posture, almost parallel to the ground, would make even professional drivers marvel.
Tony had to hit the brakes. Although the sports car had excellent cornering performance, it was, after all, top-heavy and heavy; it couldn't be as aggressive as the motorcycle.
He passed through the curve at a slightly slower speed, and by the time he exited, he was already several car lengths behind the motorcycle.
"Damn it..." Tony cursed softly, but his eyes flashed with excitement.
Mavuika's technique far exceeded his expectations; that smooth and bold way of cornering was almost as if she treated the motorcycle as a part of her own body.
The following section of the road was even more winding. This road was built along the mountain, with curves one after another, and the straight sections were very short.
This was originally a disadvantageous section for the sports car, but Tony, relying on his superb technique, kept close.
However, Mavuika's performance could simply be described as "crazy."
She almost never braked before a curve, but instead used subtle adjustments of her center of gravity at the moment of entering the curve to control her speed and line.
Under her control, the motorcycle seemed to have a life of its own, tracing perfect trajectories through the curves.