Chapter 539 - It's my Complete Defeat

Im currently in a racing game showdown with Alice. I was able to overtake Alice by making use of my Special Drive, but the race was still in the middle stage You could say that the crucial moment starts here on out.

According to the course map, the next rough point was a big spiral curve. This was probably designed for a game, but maneuvering through such a path looked quite difficult.

The curve itself looked gentle, but because it is a spiral, it was a long path where its difficult to accelerate. It would be great if I could somehow safely get through it.

As I was thinking this, the entrance to the spiral curve came into view. As I had expected, I couldnt go through it at full speed, so I slowed down to a moderate speed and

How naive! Kaito-san

[What!?]

However, as I was slowing down my speed, Alice accelerated at full throttle, immediately pa.s.sing me and heading for the spiral curve. But no matter how I see it, shes being too reckless. There was no way that she could pa.s.s through those curves with that speed.

This is certainly a game where you wouldnt get hurt even if you run into a wall, but there is a penalty that significantly slows down the rider. Considering that, Alices attack was too reckless

It was at this moment that I remembered the Special Drive that Alice had mentioned. Oh no, so thats what shes planning!? Alices vehicles Special Drive is great at cornering which means

(T/N: Handling a car on a turn is called cornering)

As if to affirm the thoughts that had popped in my head, Alices mini buggy used all of its four tires to its fullest and turned around the curve in a four-wheel drift that makes it seem like shes sticking close to the wall.

If she continues using that Inverse Cornering This is bad, shes going to pull away.

It seems that her Special Drive is more troublesome than I expected. As long as she has that Special Drive, Alice can go past curves without slowing down at all, putting the in in Inverse Cornering.

However, that Special Drive of her isnt unbeatable. There is always a flaw.

Thinking about this, I opened the menu and checked the page that describes the details of every vehicle. There was information on my BC96, as well as on Alices machine, and it also mentioned each vehicles Special Drive.

Alices vehicles Special Drive can be used once every two kilometers, and it can also be saved for later use as a charge. One charge lasts for 3 seconds Repeated use of a charge is also possible.

Its about 10km from the start point to here, which means Alice should have a maximum of 5 charges saved up The spiral curve we just saw was a pretty big curve, so she should have consumed two, or perhaps, three charges.

Other than that, there were only two other times that Alices car drifted in such a way that it seemed like her car was clinging on the corner which means that Alices stock of Special Drive charges should be exhausted already.

There are only about 8 and a half kilometers left to the finish line in this 19km long course. Which means, Alice can only use that Special Drive four more times, even if she saves them up until just before the finish line. However, since the last kilometer almost consists of just a straight line there shouldnt be any point in her saving all four of her Special Drives.

If its possible, it would be great if she misuses at least one of her charges. I guess I should come up with a solution for that.

In that case, the part deciding the match would be either at the large S-curve at the 14km point, or the five consecutive curves between the 17km and 18km points, which would be the races final obstacle.

For the time being, lets close the gap as much as possible and stay right behind her. And the next time Alice uses her Special Drive would be where the real battle begins.

Speaking of which, I wonder what happened to the NPCs following behind us? Did Alice set it on the weakest setting because this is my first time playing?

As I was thinking about such unimportant things, my BC96, with its superior maximum speed, closed the gap that had opened up on the curve as we pa.s.sed through a straight road, catching up behind Alice with only a 50m difference between us.

Kaito-san.

[Unnn?]

You were planning something, arent you? Fufufu, I dont know what youre planning but If you think you can overtake me, Id like to see you try!

[Yeah Youre on, Alice!]

The S-Curve of Victory. Is Alice going to use her Special Drive on that? No, she definitely will. She went out of her way to say something that would provoke me. That means, shes going to decide the race here!

As if to affirm my thoughts, Alice approached the curve at a clearly excessive speed. I also followed her into the S-curve with as little deceleration as possible.

Thats great. Those sharp thrusts of yours As expected of Kaito-san. However, can you break through this!?

As soon as she says that, Alices baby buggy starts to drift around the inner walls, making perfect use of all four wheels.

Seeing this, as I had planned beforehand, I swerved.

Youre going to move towards the outer corner, Kaito-san? Or perhaps, a lane-taking mistake? No, this is!?

(T/N: Lane-taking is something like this. Apparently. Im not sure, I cant even drift in Mario kart.)

Yes, this is the position Ive been aiming for From the end of the first curve to the second curve, there is a straight line to which I will activate my second Special Drive.

What Im aiming for was the inner wall of the second curve!

What the!?

On the straight line between these S-curves, the distance is too short to use BC96s Special Drive. The disadvantage of not being able to turn too fast is that I will inevitably end up hitting a wall and thats why Im aiming for that gamble of a moment.

It can be said that this is just a forced move that can be used only because this game ensures that we wouldnt be hurt.

When we hit a wall, the penalty is a significant deceleration of speed. However, I knew that the penalty would be based on the riders current speed, so after hitting the inside wall I would overtake Alice, and using my Special Drive, I would accelerate through the speed that I lost from hitting the curve.

I also have one big goal for doing this. That is to block Alice from using her Special Drive

Kuhh, the inside wall

I could hear Alices frustration through the private line Yes, Alices vehicles Special Drive has the characteristic of automatically aiming for the Inverse Cornering. In that case, if I were to block the inside wall Alice cannot activate her Special Drive.

The plan seemed to be a great success, as I was able to hold Alice off and get through the S-curve.

Thereupon, arriving on the long straight line I used my final Special Drive, immediately pulling a distance away from Alice.

Alice had used the Special Drive once at the first corner of the S-curve. This means that she should have 2 charges left a Special Drive for a total of 6 seconds. Its just a simple calculation, but if I can outpace Alice by more than 6 seconds, I can win.

With my last Special Drive, I was able to pull away quite a distance, which should be an advantage of 10 seconds. As long as my car has a higher maximum speed, theres no way she can overtake me.

After a few moments, I finally saw the 5 consecutive curves. Ive won! Now, all I have to do is not make any mistakes

Ughee, Kaito-san, youre really amazing. For you to do this much even though this should be your first time playing this game, how surprising.

[I think you made a mistake in using your Special Drive too much on the start]

Ahaha

At that moment, I felt a chill run down my spine. Arehh? What is this unpleasant feeling I thought victory was already almost in my grasp I have already entered the 5 consecutive curves. If I could just get past this point, the finish line would be just around the corner.

I did tell you, didnt I? My vehicles special ability is to automatically attack the inner walls of the curves without slowing down at all

[ ! ? ]

Wait, what did she mean by that? I mean, Alices has been using her Special Drive, right That drift should be her Special Drive Drift?

When shes drifting I think shes slowing down

Ive never used it yet. From the start of the race, Ive never used my Special Drive.

[Wha!?]

As Alice said those despair-inducing words, approaching the third corner of the 5 consecutive curves, Alices car appeared in my rear-view mirror.

With a speed over 100km/h, not slowing down at all Alices buggy was approaching with an unconventional behavior, as if there were rails on the inner curves.

This is her real Special Drive This is bad, I should block the inner wall

Its useless.

[She avoided my block]

As if to trample upon my idea of blocking the inner walls and interfering with Alices Special Drive, her car avoided mine with a perpendicular trajectory and pa.s.sed through me, still moving with her maximum speed.

I completely misread her ability. Her Special Drive also automatically evades the car in front of her huh D*mn it, this is bad. The two remaining curves will allow her to make a big difference between us!

Now that Ive used up all of my Special Drives, theres no way for me to catch up with Alice. It seemed that what I had said to Alice had come straight back to me.

Of course, my technique is far inferior to Alices, who can drift like that even without using a Special Drive Still, if I had saved one last Special Drive for this moment No, its too late to say such things now.

[Its my loss.]

Fufufu, well, this is just our first game. For me, I was wondering if I can win without having to use my Special Drive, but I was so surprised about how fast you were. Maybe next time, well have a better match.

[Mnghh. Alice, one more game.]

Alrighty. After we reach the goal, lets take some break before we go to the second round!

Dear Mom, Dad How should I say this I thought I had planned things out, but in the end, the match was complete under Alices control. Even putting aside the fact that I was a beginner, I was overwhelmed by her strategies. Anyway, in this match- Its my complete defeat.

~~ Highlight of the race ~~

? ? ? : [Amazing, that 96! It c

ompletely broke Alice-chans drift opportunity, making her unable to push forward!? It also got a great start-up distance too! Just barely missing the guardrail!]

Serious-senpai : [No, theres no way a motorbike could do something like that!!!]

Alice-chan : [Kaito-san was amazing! His course planning and strategy were great! But! However! Nevertheless! It completely didnt work! Hes still far from beating Alice-chan!!!]

Serious-senpai : [Oi It disappeared That thing blocking your name disappeared.]

Alice-chan : [Eh?]

Serious-senpai : [? ? ?, that thing blocking your name disappeared.]

Alice-chan : [Well then, thats it for the Afterword, lets get back to the main story! ? ? ?, who is that? I totally dont know any beauty with such a name! Ill take my leave then!!!]

On a side note : The character rough draft of Volume 3 has been posted in the Activity Report. Also, Im secretly posting a Christmas original that I was going to submit to another project. If youre so inclined, please take a glimpse at it as if you were the Demon King of a certain card game.

(T/N: Dunno what TCG Author-san was talking about here)