Chapter 67

Carl's team finishes the third race in last place, but survives while most other competitors are killed. They receive critical information about the next two races, which will take place in a shrunken apartment building, and complete an important quest that grants Carl the ability to bring two allies to the final arena. Meanwhile, a coded signal confirms that Li Na has safely reached the Pineapple Cabaret.

Carl's team crosses the finish line exhausted, learning that Dong Quixote died during the race and that only eighteen of sixty teams in their heat survived. Osvaldo reveals the winning unicorn cheated by riding over the factory building rather than through it. The team learns that only about twelve hundred teams remain from the original three thousand competitors. Dr. Metcalf announces that Races 6 and 7 will take place consecutively on the same track—a shrunken seven-story apartment building where racers must navigate from top to bottom in the first race and return in the second, with a two-hour pit stop between them where safe room access is prohibited. The time limit is two hours per race. Carl receives a quest completion notification revealing he can now select two creatures or people within the dungeon's sphere of influence to bring to the final arena on the 11th floor, though the selection must wait until inside the arena. The message also warns him to beware exits that seem too good to be true and expresses concern about Eris and the war mages. Finally, Mordecai reports that a single flower has bloomed on the cactus—the coded signal confirming Li Na has reached the Pineapple Cabaret safely and it is ready to receive refugees.