Chapter 372: Start, and the Pier Course.
"As we've notified you earlier, if you cannot clear an area within the stipulated time frame, you're retired. On the other hand, you can clear the area even if your vehicle breaks down and you have to push it, as long as you do it within the time given."
Dr. Elka was explaining things about the race from above a stage.
"It's ok to obstruct other drivers. The vehicles have been enchanted with magic that disallow direct contact between each other, so you can push as hard as you want. However, the lighter ones may be blown away depending on the force, so do be careful."
All vehicles participating in the race have been modified to produce a rejection field in sync with their magic engines. To explain it simply, it's like how two poles with the same polarity on magnets would repel each other.
The minimum distance the vehicles can get close to each other for is 10cm; the field between the vehicles would repel themselves if they try to push any closer. With this, drivers can safely push at each other and obtain advantages on the course. While it started off as a safety measure, it's completely a battle-use function now.
"If a serious crash occurs, the driver would be teleported to this location right beforehand. Although that happening doesn't mean a retire straight away, since the vehicle would probably be wrecked, you would likely end up with the same result. We've also installed a manual emergency teleport button, so do make sure to press it if anything happens."
That would be the [Gate] enchanted onto all the seats. In preparation for possible injuries, we also have the [Alchemy Building] manager, Flora, on standby here.
"Ah, also, magic's forbidden during the race. If you use anything, you're disqualified, so make sure you don't. I'm talking to you, Touya-kun."
"I know, shut it."
If I can use magic, it would just end with me using [Slip] on everyone and winning by a landslide.
"Also, the race would be covered—"
"A cat is to a man what a man is to a cat! The heaven knows, the earth knows, and the cat also knows! The magnificent cat knight, Nyanta—*ahem*, D'Artagnyan shall take that role-nya!"
Sakura's summoned beast, Nyantaro, jumped up onto the stage with a mic in his hands instead of the usual thin rapier.
What, you're doing the live coverage? Is it okay with that accent?
"Now then, it's time to begin the race-nya! All participants, please get into your ether vehicles and wait for the start signal-nya!"
A red line is drawn across the stone-paved path atop the beach, and our vehicles are lined up together at that line. A simultaneous start.
The participating drivers all got into their vehicles and started up their magic engines. I also got into the Type K, and started up its magic engine while calling out a map… Ah, wait, I can't use magic.
Pola, who got into the seat besides me, passed me a printed course map. Oh, how thoughtful of you.
Let's see, so this stone path extends out in a straight line for some distance and ends, with the road continuing on the sandy beach? And a while after that, it turns right, out into the sea and onto the pier constructed for this race, huh.
The pier's width is only around 2.5 times that of a normal ether vehicle's. It'll be hard to pass someone who's driving in the middle of the road. If one tries to pass another forcefully and was pushed off, even if it's in the shallows, that should be as good as being retired. Isn't this a bit too tough right out the gate?
Well, whatever. For now, I'll just drive with safe completion of the course as my top priority. It's fine even if I'm late at starting off. It'll give me the chance to survey the situation.
I put on my helmet and lowered the attached goggles.
"Are you ready-nya? Now then, the first Babylon Race, begin-nya!"
The sound bomb used for the signal went off at the same time Nyantaro shouted to start. Confirming that sound, the eight participating vehicles all roared past the starting line at once.
"Ohh, and we have our leader of the pack with number 5, Princess Berlietta's [Strain] jumping ahead of everyone else-nya! And after that is number 4, the [Red Cat] and number 2, the [Silver Star]-nya!"
Princess Berlietta's [Strain] dashed out with a strong momentum, followed by Nia's [Red Cat], and then Rosetta & Monica's [Silver Star]. After that is Lapis-san's [White Bird], Crown Prince Rupheus' [Trihalan], and then me, in sixth place.
Behind me, the Ferzen King's [Ferzen] and the dwarf Griff's [Steel Axe] followed closely.
Although there's already five people in front of me, there's not that much difference between us yet.
The straight stone-paved path ended very quickly, and was replaced by a course of sand. While the somewhat-wet sandy ground is hard to drive on, it's not as bad as quicksand, so it's fine.
"Hahaha! Your Majesty the Sovereign, allow me to proceed ahead!"
"Ah."
"And a fierce attack from the [Ferzen]-nya! It headed up the positions in an instant-nya!"
Completely ignoring the hard-to-drive-on sandy surface, the [Ferzen] blasted past me. Its large body rushed past the [Trihalan] in front of me in an instant too; its momentum is almost like that of a small bulldozer.
Nuu. Although I did say I won't be concerned about the rankings, it's still frustrating to get passed.
"The frontrunners have already turned towards the ocean, and entered the pier course! Since it's hard to pass others on the narrow pier, once they enter, there's probably not going to be any changes in the current rankings for a while-nya! Ho-we-ver! As it's also a place where the smallest mistakes can send you flying down into the waters, we never know what may happen-nya! It's exciting-nya!"
As the pier course is built over a stretch of shallow coastal area, the deepest part is still below 1 ½ meters in depth. None of the vehicles participating in the race this time have an air-tight cabin, so as long as accidents like a seatbelt malfunction happen, even if they fall off the course, they should be able to get out quickly. There's the emergency teleport button too, for precaution's sake.
If it's at the comparatively shallower regions, even if a participant falls off the pier, he/she can still possibly get back into the race by going back to the beach. Since the ether vehicles aren't moving via gasoline engines or anything like that, it's not like getting wet would make them inoperable. Well, their rankings would probably fall quite a bit no matter what, though.
I also got onto the pier course from the beach. When I looked at the back mirror, there's quite a bit of distance between me and the [Steel Axe] behind me. He shouldn't be able to catch me by surprise with a sudden burst with this distance.
Having said that, I also don't feel like trying to catch up with the [Trihalan] in front of me. Our vehicles should be close in weight from the look of it. If so, it's too dangerous to get into a pushing contest as the outcome would be uncertain.
However, if you know that the other side is lighter than you, it's the obvious choice to go with an aggressive approach…
"The [Ferzen] is steadily approaching the [White Bird] ahead of it! If the [Ferzen] goes for an overtake here, the [White Bird] would get pushed out without a doubt-nya!"
The Ferzen king's [Ferzen] is pressing down upon the [White Bird] driven by our maid, Lapis- san, on a straight stretch of the pier course.
"Allow me to push through by force! Don't think badly of this!"
"Muh."
The [Ferzen] lined up besides Lapis-san's [White Bird]. As the [Ferzen] is rather large, when the two vehicles are driving side-by-side, the course is starting to look very narrow.
The [White Bird] shakes from getting bumped sideways by the [Ferzen]. Although it managed to stabilize right before the edge, if it gets pushed again it would definitely fall down the pier.
The [White Bird] picked up its speed. It's probably trying to get in front of the [Ferzen].
Not losing, the [Ferzen] also accelerated, and ended up in front of the [White Bird].
"Fuhahahaha! How's that—muh!?"
In front of the boasting Ferzen King is a right-angle curve to the left.
"Nuoooooo!"
While pushing down hard on the brakes, the [Ferzen] turned itself towards the left and barely managed to clear the curve… Was what would've happened.
At that timing, the [White Bird] swiftly cut into the inside of the [Ferzen].
The [White Bird], which came into the curve with a drift-like motion, bumped into the [Ferzen] right as the latter barely managed to stop itself at the edge of the curve.
"Ah."
With its balance broken, the [Ferzen] crashed into the ocean. Leaving the huge water splatter that occurred behind, the [White Bird] sped forward on the pier.
"Ohhhh! The [Ferzen] is out of the course! It's upside-down in the ocean-nya!"
Uwa… Thank god I didn't do anything too forceful like that.
Crown Prince Rupheus' [Trihalan] and my Type K passed by the same curve while looking at the [Ferzen] in the water, marked by the bubbles coming out. Of course, we lowered our speed and passed through the right-angled curve safely.
As the last place [Steel Axe] was also passing through the same curve, the Ferzen King showed his face on the ocean surface and drew in a large breath.
"Seems like the driver is fine for the [Ferzen]-nya. Since it probably won't lead to a retire now, if he can somehow make it back to the beach… Nyaa!?"
"Nuuoooooooo!"
When I sneaked a peek backwards at where the [Ferzen] had fallen because of Nyantaro's shocked voice, I saw the Ferzen King lifting up the [Ferzen] from the ocean with an impressive stance.
Wait a second, that's allowed too!?
"Seii!"
The Ferzen King threw the [Ferzen] back onto the pier just like that, before climbing back himself, and starting the magic engine of the [Ferzen] after getting back into it.
While there's a good distance between him and everyone else now, he's definitely not going to be retired with that.
"Still, how should I say this… That's way too forceful."
When I muttered that with a dumbfounded face, Pola who's sitting next to me folded its arms and nodded.
There's definitely something wrong with the world if that's the king of the magic kingdom.
"And we have a change in the leading group too-nya! As they got off the pier and returned to the beach, the [Silver Star] overtook the [Red Cat] and the [Strain] at once and claimed top position-nya!"
Hee. Rosetta and Monica took first place, huh. Not bad.
I reached the end of the current pier course as well, and kept driving on the sand towards the next pier segment. The [Trihalan] in front of me isn't showing any signs of being in a hurry too; it's probably still testing the waters at this stage. I swerved to the right and got onto the second pier course.
If I remember correctly, this segment has a lot of S-shaped curves and similar things.
Thinking about how the [Ferzen] took a dive into the sea just now, there's no other way except to lower one's speed and go at it carefully for this part.
Having said that, the [Trihalan] in front of me isn't lowering its speed as much as I thought it would when it cleared the S-shaped curves. Is it a difference in grip strength? Must have good tires.
On the other hand, possibly because it's not suited for this kind of course, Princess Berlietta's [Strain] fell in ranks.
Right now, the first place is the [Silver Star], followed by the [Red Cat]. The [Strain] is in third place.
"What a sight! The [White Bird] slides through the right-angled curve while passing by the [Strain]-nya! It's now in third place with that beautiful overtake just now-nya!"
So Lapis-san also managed to overtake her. Wait, you can drift on this narrow pier!?
With this, the [White Bird] is in third, the [Strain] is in fourth and the [Trihalan] is in fifth.
The two fated opponents (so to speak) were getting closer.
The [Trihalan] kept trying to overtake the vehicle in front, while the [Strain] perfectly blocked all of its openings.
"Mu…!"
"I shall not let you pass!"
On top of the pier where one wrong step and an ocean bath awaits, the two were swerving left and right in defiance of each other.
As doing that would obviously drop their speed, I've managed to reach a position right behind the two of them.
Muu. They're blocking my way…
It's easy to tell from behind, but whenever the [Trihalan] moves to one side, the [Strain] would move to the same side to prevent it from passing. They're moving in sync on top of the pier, so to speak.
Pola, who's sitting besides me, pushed its arm out towards the front with a "Go! Go!" feeling. I get it. Let's go.
Targeting the timing when the two of them once again moved to the same side on a straight stretch of the pier, I immediately drove forward while accelerating hard.
"Eh!?"
"Ah!?"
While looking sideways at the two's shocked faces, I overtook them easily with my Type K.
Sorry about this, but I'll be going ahead. As I rounded another curve while maintaining some speed, Lapis-san's [White Bird] entered my view.
I'm at fourth right now. It'll be good if I can maintain this placement until the end of this area.
We got off the second pier segment, and were now driving on the third beach segment. Oh, seems like Lapis-san's [White Bird] has locked onto Nia's [Red Cat] in front of it.
"And now, nearing the end of the southern area, the [White Bird] makes its move again-nya! It's a dead heat on the beach, going back to the main course! The [White Bird] is cutting in sharply from the inside of the curve-nya! And it's an overtake! The [White Bird] is now in second place-nya!"
The position changed as soon as we got onto the main course from the beach, huh. It's pretty intense, isn't it.
While catching sight of Nia's vehicle in front of me, I drove along the course while maintaining the current pace.
The stone-paved main road is not as easy to drive on thanks to all the sand scattered on top of it. While it's not like going out of the course here would make me fall into the ocean, it's still best to be cautious.
"And the [Silver Star] has passed through the pier course's gate-nya! It immediately goes on towards the forest course in the east! Here, the way participants deal with the rough mountain roads would be the key-nya!"
So Rosetta's group is first. The [White Bird], in second, also passed through the gate, before Nia's [Red Cat] in third did the same, well below the time limit.
I, as well, ran through the gate in fourth position, and cleared the pier course.
"Oops, the vibration really is quite severe."
The rough mountain paths of the eastern forest course gave us a rough welcome. Plus, not only is the road surface uneven, it also rises and falls irregularly, making the path quite scary to drive on. There's places where the road is plainly higher on one side too; if one accelerates at a bad place, it's possible for the vehicle to overturn.
As I kept driving on for a while, a signboard showed up in my sight with the words "Pit stop 500 meters ahead to the right".
"it might be good to change our tires and other parts early on…"
Pola nodded as I muttered. Right. It'll be tough for us to continue like this. Our tires might blow out somewhere. Also, I'll definitely get carsick.
"Oh, the first place [Silver Star] has entered the pit stop here-nya. After that, the [White Bird] has entered the pit stop too… Nyanya!? The third place [Red Cat] ignored the pit stop and accelerated past! It effortlessly reached first place-nya!"
"Aw yeah! First place for me!"
Oi oi, that Nia, she's going to keep driving? I guess she doesn't seem like the type who would get sick, but are her tires going to be alright?
Ah, not the time to be worried about others right now. I turned right and entered the pit stop point.
As we passed over a magic formation, we were transferred to the road back at the starting point that led to the garages.
I moved the Type K to the garage with the number "8" on it. Inside, the mini robots came out from the back and started changing things like the tires and suspension parts to ones for off- road use as soon as we got off the vehicle.
When I confirmed the current race situation with the small monitor installed in the garage, it seems that both the [Strain] and the [Trihalan] have cleared the pier course and entered the forest course. The dwarven [Steel Axe], as well as the once-almost-retired [Ferzen] seemed like they'll make it within the time limit as well.
No retirees for this area, huh. For something made by that professor, so far it's actually quite decent. Wait, one person fell into the ocean early on so I guess it's not that safe?
Outside the garage, Rosetta and Monica's [Silver Star] rushed past; they're probably returning to the race. So they've already finished refitting their vehicle for off-road use, huh.
After that, Lapis-san's [White Bird] also returned to the course. As if replacing her, Princess Berlietta's [Strain] and Crown Prince Rupheus' [Trihalan] rushed into the garage as if competing with each other.
"Nugugu!"
"Fununu!"
The two vehicles, which appeared while pushing against each other, disappeared into their own garages at almost the same time.
And when I thought they're gone, for some reason, the two drivers got out of their garages and started glaring at each other while having strange smiles on their faces.
"You're quite good. However, the next area would not be the same! You'd best be prepared!"
"I shall return those words right back to you. Please don't go and overturn yourself or something and retire, ok? It won't be interesting for me if you got out like that!"
"Ufufufufufu…"
"Hahahahaha…"
What is that, scary.
The two of them, their mouths are smiling but their eyes totally aren't… Well, looking at that, some may think they're perfectly suited to each other, to be honest.
Oops, right, now isn't the time.
When I returned to my garage, the tire exchange had just finished. I, as well as Pola, got back into the Type K, started the magic engine and drove out of the garage.
When I returned to the course, I can see the [Steel Axe] following behind me. Seems like the [Steel Axe] had also ignored the pit stop.
Well, it's true that the [Steel Axe] looks like an ether vehicle that's more suited to drive on an off-road setting. The [Ferzen], on the other hand, got off the course and entered the pit stop.
"Now, back to the forest course-nya! From the top, currently we have the [Red Cat], the [Silver Star], the [White Bird], the [Brunhild], and the [Steel Axe]-nya! Oh, and here we have the [Strain] and the [Trihalan] coming out of the pit stop too-nya!"
As I drove forward while listening to Nyantaro's live coverage, a sudden dirt patch on the road caught my tire right as I rounded another curve. Dangerous!
"That's a disgustingly well-thought out location… Can't let my guard down here too."
While running through a tunnel-like stretch with trees growing on both sides and stretching above, I gripped the steering wheel tighter.