Chapter 42

Carl's team races through an acid-rain-soaked jungle on a dangerous middle path, competing against other teams including the Lady Dominators and the Wienermobile. Quemada suffers a severe panic attack triggered by existential dread, and Finley knocks her unconscious to calm her. Meanwhile, other teams take different routes, and Carl receives word that another team, Crawler Henrietta's, has been eliminated by a trap.

The race begins with Carl's team immediately falling behind the bugbear team (Free Love) and the Lady Dominators, who pass them on the dirt track. The shield protecting them from acid rain begins to fog up. A thorny-bush obstacle fires a weapon that misses the humanoid team but hits the animal team nearby. As they enter the forest on the middle path, the terrain becomes increasingly dark and muddy. Quemada experiences a severe panic attack, babbling about identity and reality after hearing something the elf mage said. Olga explains Quemada killed one of their previous two clients after the death of Helado, an ice fairy who previously helped calm her. Finley attempts to soothe Quemada while other teams branch off onto different paths. The Wienermobile—driven by the skull-faced Minister of Blood-Letting and his group from a kakaoke bar—unexpectedly merges onto their path and blocks them. As Quemada's crisis escalates and she begs for an end, Finley forcibly grabs her and casts a sleep spell, placing her unconscious in the sink. Imani contacts Carl reporting they are behind the group and that Crawler Henrietta's team has been eliminated by a trap that swallowed their entire mount. Carl proposes they wait for Imani's team and offers course information.