Okay. We're back in Taro’s living room. Somehow Taro managed to survive that whole encounter of countless rejection without jumping off the tower.

Good thing, because we need him to focus. There's not too many races left now… If we win Class A - we become the Zero4Champ!

Let’s arrange a race with the High Yon Secretariat.

: Opponents will be ranked from 2nd to 70th.

Race day!

: Your opponent is ranked 21st.

Okay. First up we’re against a white Skyline 32 GTR.

This is the first Godzilla we've encountered in this game. Will our RX7 be enough?

… It won't

I screwed up the launch and didn't get a great time, but it didn't matter. His time was 9.59, a few tenths faster than my fastest time.

: I lost….

: Damn, there's no prize money. Let's just go home.

It looks like we'll have to continue to work on whatever is wrong with my technique, or at try out a different car.

It's okay though. I expected this would happen since we only just got through Group B by a narrow margin.

: Do you use VHT?

...I didn't expect this would happen, however. I'm so used to the race marshal lady saying her usual canned lines.

: VHT? What’s that?

VHT is not a term I'm familiar with either. Are you referring to the hit 1989 comedy starring Weird Al Yankovic?

: I thought so. I've been watching your races so far and I thought it was strange.

We're missing something?

: What does that mean?

: Well, when it comes to A class...The car's power will be so much greater that regular tires won't have enough grip.

: So?

: That's why most of the people competing in B class and above use something called VHT on their slick tires.

: It really improves tire grip.

Wait, what? Was this our missing performance gap all along?

: They don’t sell that kind of thing in my shop

: Of course.It's not something that's sold everywhere

Come to think of it, I think this is the same stuff the the meatheads gave us in Zero4Champ 2. They called it ‘tyre glue‘ in that game.

: Where can I buy it?

: I think they sold it at a store called Guernica. Be careful when you go there

Careful? Lady, we defeat gods for a living...

: Thank you

Guernica eh? Let's go check it out.

At this stage I looked everywhere on the map, but didn’t found any new shops. I did discover you can go back to the original shop that sells the < 2000CC cars and modifications however, though there’s not much point at this stage.

Eventually, I went back to Taro’s living room and clicked the shop shortcut, and triggered the next location.

: I need to buy something called VHT.

Interestingly, I looked it up. VHT is actually a real thing.

: Shall I go shopping? Yes / No

Yes. Let’s do it.

Alright. Another mechanic workshop / store in this game. It's interesting seeing that yellow RX7 in the background there. I’d like to pretend it is Brap Brap - but I presume it's just part of the image and is always there no matter what car you have.

And of course, this one is also playing Rockabilly music. It wouldn't be a Zero4Champ mechanic workshop without it.

This mechanic here doesn’t look too friendly however...

: What is it?

: What did you come here for?

: Of course I came here to buy something. It's a rough-looking shop.

Perhaps not a good idea to insult the mechanic in his workshop, Taro. Especially the type of mechanic who's missing several teeth.

: Do you have VHT?

: You're being pretty rude to the champ.That's what you said, right?

: So what?

: I'm asking if you have a VHT or not.

: Yes, there is a million.

I think he's saying 'Yes, it costs a million yen'

: What? Isn’t this a rip-off?

: If you don't like it, you don't have to buy it.

: Well, without this, you can’t go any higher.

Buy it / Don't buy it

Well… I guess we’d need to buy this, even though It's pretty clear we're being taken advantage of.

...Thing is we can’t. We only have 800k and he wants a million.

: What? You don't have any money? What a stingy bastard.

: Shut up!

Well... Guess we’re going to have to do more grinding...