Ch.320Initial S (6)

VROOOOOOM-!!!

I hurriedly caught up with the others.

“Shota!!”

Sasix shouted loudly at me through the rearview mirror. I immediately drove my kart, somehow managing to catch up to him.

“Where do you think you’re going!!”

One of the extra goons tried to cut me off with some aggressive driving.

“Hnngh!!!”

I immediately swung my sword.

CLAAAAAANG-!!!!!

One kart was completely demolished and shattered.

“Where are the others?”

Soon after, Sasix seemed to wonder why the other party members weren’t visible.

“They… got retired.”

I had no choice but to say it like that.

“That can’t be…!!”

Sasix’s expression became agitated. I knew who he was worried about.

“It’s okay. Frill is safe. So are the others.”

Everyone had been retired lightly, without serious injuries.

“…..I see.”

Only then did Sasix show a relieved expression.

“But… I don’t see the Stunt Master.”

I looked around.

“That guy overtook us a while ago.”

At that moment, Thumbs-up Man caught up and said. Unlike before, his afro hair was now flowing in the wind. Thumbs-up Man himself seemed to be enjoying it. Yeah… congratulations on escaping baldness, Thumbs-up Man.

“Not only is his vehicle’s performance overwhelming, but the others are deliberately interfering with us.”

Sasix clicked his tongue as he spoke.

“I see. Can we catch up somehow?”

I asked Sasix.

“I’ve figured out he’s already a lap ahead. If we could just shake these guys off…..”

Sasix looked to the side.

VROOOOOOM-!!

Large truck-like karts were using their massive bodies to block our path all at once.

“Thumbs-up Man. Let’s do something together.”

In the end, I decided to become the sacrifice card along with Thumbs-up Man. Well, there was no other choice.

“We’re already a lap behind… even if we shake them off now….”

Sasix suddenly became dejected. He fell into his habitual dejection again.

“This kart, I stole it from one of them.”

I pointed to the back of the kart I had taken.

Unlike the mass-produced karts we were riding, this kart had a special function. A booster.

“I’ll use this booster to push your kart. That should give you the speed you need.”

I planned to push Sasix’s kart with the power of the booster.

With those words, Thumbs-up Man seemed to understand what he needed to do.

“Okay. Those guys… I’ll handle them somehow. If I throw my kart at them, prepared to retire….”

Thumbs-up Man drew his weapon, seemingly resolved.

“Thumbs-up Man… don’t get hurt.”

I said, just in case.

“Heh. Of course.”

Thumbs-up Man immediately started to accelerate on the curve. He was attempting to control the kart in a way that would send it flying—a taboo in racing.

VROOOOOOM-!!

Thumbs-up Man began a cavalry charge with his kart, sword in one hand.

“Uwahahahat!! Do you think you can break through us with that?!!”

The racers, as if they had been waiting for this, pressed a button on their karts.

SWISHSHSHSHSHSH-!!!!!!

At that moment, blades emerged from the sides of the karts and began to rotate. Their intention to shred anything that came close was evident.

“HYAAAAAAAH!!”

However, Thumbs-up Man bravely dove inside.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-!! CLAAANG-!!

Thumbs-up Man diligently deflected the rotating blades one by one with his sword.

But it was impossible to block all the blades coming from the entire side.

SWISHSHSHSHSHSH-!!

One of the rotating blades… began to cut off Thumbs-up Man’s luscious hair. His hair was being sliced off at tremendous speed.

“Th-Thumbs-up Man…!!!!!”

I screamed. Shit!!! How hard had he worked to grow that hair!!

“Nngh….. ignore me and go!! Hurry!!!”

Thumbs-up Man shouted loudly.

“B-but… Thumbs-up Man!!!! You were so happy about growing your hair…!!”

I empathized with Thumbs-up Man’s sorrow…!!!

“Hair can’t replace friendship.”

Thumbs-up Man said with a slight smile. There was sadness in that smile. However, there was also a diamond-bright resolve in it.

SWISHSHSHSHSHSH-!!

The blades maliciously shaved off Thumbs-up Man’s hair.

Before long, Thumbs-up Man’s head was bald again.

TICK-TICK-! TICKICKICK-!!!

Clumps of Thumbs-up Man’s hair went into the rotating motor of the car.

CRUNCHCRUNCHCRUNCH-!!

As if the motor had malfunctioned, smoke began to billow from Thumbs-up Man’s car.

“N-no…!!!! The kart… damn it!! What’s happening?!”

The racer pounded on his kart.

THUMP-!

Thumbs-up Man gave us both a thumbs-up.

“HYAAAAAAAH!!!!”

And then Thumbs-up Man used all his strength to stab his sword into the truck’s body.

CRUNCHCRUNCHCRUNCH-!!

That significantly reduced the truck’s speed.

“D-DAAAAAAAMN!!!!!!!!”

With the racer’s scream, the truck exploded spectacularly.

“Thumbs-up Man!!!!!”

I shouted loudly.

BOOOOOM-!!

Thumbs-up Man’s kart, caught in the explosion, hit the guardrail and stopped functioning.

Inside the half-destroyed kart, there was a bald man with a sorrowful smile. Thumbs-up Man had… burned everything (mainly his hair follicles) to a crisp.

Many people had sacrificed for this race. There wasn’t much that Sasix and I could do. The only thing we could do was to not let everyone’s sacrifices be in vain.

“Sasix. Let’s go…!!”

Swallowing my tears, I stuck close behind Sasix.

CLICK-!!

And then I pressed the boost button with all my might.

WHOOOOOOSH-!!!!!!

As the boost spewed fire, my kart began to push Sasix’s kart with all its might.

VROOOOOOOOM-!!!!!!

Sasix’s kart, receiving the propulsion, began to move at an incredible speed. Thanks to the added acceleration of my kart, we broke through the course’s gimmicks at tremendous speed.

“This is like The Human Centipede.”

I unconsciously muttered, looking at the shape of the two karts attached.

“Why would you compare it to such a grotesque movie!!!”

Sasix immediately got angry.

“Well, the second one is just a grotesque mess, but the first one does have some redeeming qualities.”

I immediately expressed my film theory.

“I don’t care about your B-movie opinions!!”

Sasix immediately objected. Yes. The meaning of his objection was clear. Thumbs-up Man had found his original condition.

VROOOOOOOOM-!!

Anyway, thanks to the booster, we just broke through the remaining two troublemakers.

In the distance, the figure of the Stunt Master, driving without any interference, was visible as a dot. Yes. We had somehow caught up. This was the beginning of our comeback.

I was already playing a Eurobeat playlist in my head.

FIZZZZZZZ-!!

The booster was starting to run out.

“Go, Sasix.”

I pushed the car body with all my might, as if pushing his back.

“Yeah. I’ll be back.”

Sasix smiled slightly and immediately rushed forward.

FIZZZZZ-!

The moment Sasix was pushed forward, my car also stopped. The booster had overheated from overuse.

I pulled up next to Thumbs-up Man.

“Thumbs-up Man….”

I didn’t know how to comfort him.

Fluttering…..

Thumbs-up Man’s hair was scattering like falling leaves.

“I’ll… get you more hair growth formula!! It’s not a big deal!! Okay? Cheer up!!”

I desperately tried to console Thumbs-up Man.

Anyway, now the outcome of the match really depended on Sasix. I believe in you…!!!

———-

VROOOOOOM-!!

At that time, the Stunt Master was leisurely driving around the track.

“Hmph. Seems like there are decent riders on Earth too. Most of our guys must have retired.”

Sasix was following him, visible through the rearview mirror.

“On the next lap… I’ll make sure you don’t even appear in my rearview mirror.”

The Stunt Master said that as he slightly reduced his speed and turned the corner.

VROOOOOOM-!!!!!

At that moment, the Stunt Master’s expression hardened.

Despite it being a curve, Sasix was increasing his speed.

“What a fool… doesn’t he even know the basics of racing?”

Just because you turn the steering wheel doesn’t mean the car body turns immediately. This is because of understeer, which comes from the vehicle’s weight. Ignoring the delay in cornering would immediately lead to a collision.

“He rushed and ruined the race. Well, he did well for an Earthling.”

Just as the Stunt Master was certain of victory, something unexpected happened.

SCREEEEECH-!!

Sasix turned the corner with a fluid drift. He positioned the wheels of the vehicle at the end of the corner, showing a movement that threw the vehicle.

VROOOOOOM-!!!

After the drift, Sasix immediately stabilized the car body and cleanly caught up behind the Stunt Master.

Sasix’s vehicle didn’t disappear from the rearview mirror. Instead, it began to close the distance by increasing speed.

“What the…?!”

The Stunt Master looked at the dashboard in confusion.

“I-I’m driving in a straight line right now… why? Why isn’t the distance widening?!!”

The Stunt Master was genuinely confused.

Despite going full throttle on a straight path, he couldn’t completely shake off Sasix. Rather, the distance was gradually closing.

“That mass-produced kart has that much output…!!!”

The Stunt Master’s confusion manifested in his vehicle’s movement.

SCREECH-!

The Stunt Master’s car body shook slightly, causing a loss of speed.

WHOOSH-!!!

Sasix didn’t miss that opportunity.

VROOOOOOM-!!

Sasix immediately caught up to the Stunt Master. This happened after about three and a half laps.

“Y-you Earthling… what trick did you use?!!!! Huh?! Tell me!!”

The Stunt Master couldn’t regain his composure due to the unexpected development.

“You rely on vehicle performance and interference… that’s why you lost.”

Sasix coolly replied as he drove.

WHOOSH-!!

Before long, Sasix’s vehicle overtook the Stunt Master’s.

“I don’t rely on such things. I rely on something stronger.”

“W-what is that?!”

The Stunt Master shouted, grasping at straws.

“Hmph. Comrades.”

With those words, Sasix cleanly pulled away from the Stunt Master.

———

A miracle occurred on the third and a half lap, and Sasix eventually won the race. Yes. We finally won.

“WAAAAAAAIT!!!!!”

At that moment, Sasix objected to me.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Sasix?”

I asked Sasix.

“I finally got to shine!!! You should describe my all-out racing in more detail!!! My racing with all my heart and soul!!!”

Sasix was angry about that point. This guy… did he read the narration that was going on in my mind?

“No way. How many people are interested in racing? If we put too much effort into such descriptions, readers will all drop out.”

I could already hear the sound of recommendations and view counts crashing.

“What are you talking about?!”

Ah. My occupational disease as a writer came out.

“Anyway, we won. Let’s just clear this quickly. I’m sick of riding cars now.”

Umi waved her hand. The mood of all party members was like that. We’ve had enough racing… time to wrap things up?

“Really… the treatment towards me is too harsh….”

Sasix immediately became dejected.

“I… saw Sasix’s cool appearance properly!! I’ll never forget it!!”

Frill tried hard to comfort Sasix.

“Frill…..”

Sasix’s expression softened at those words. Yes, Frill. You’re good at taking care of your boyfriend’s mental state.

“Alright. Enough with the sentimentality. Come at me, Stunt Master.”

I immediately pointed my sword at the Stunt Master.

“……..”

The Stunt Master immediately drew a pistol from the holster at his waist. Since he didn’t get first place in the race, his specs were significantly nerfed. It shouldn’t be difficult to win.

CLICK-!

But… the Stunt Master did something unexpected. He pointed the gun at his own temple.

BANG-!!!!

And he blew his own head off cleanly with the pistol.

THUD-!

With that, the Stunt Master met his death.

“I see. Unable to bear the humiliation of losing the race so shamefully, he committed suicide….”

I immediately sensed the cause of his death.

WHOOOOSH-!

Anyway, with his death, the dungeon began to collapse. It was clear evidence that we had won.

And so, October’s dungeon was cleared.

———–