Ch.340[Chapter 340] Event: Steam Speed

The sound of a high-pitched whistle from the steam locomotive echoed through the air.

It was the time when evening shadows began to fall.

The red Tengu with piercing eyes raced along the rails, cutting through the subtle darkness.

Choosing the city outskirts deliberately to minimize noise disturbance from night operations had been a wise decision.

Unryu Hime didn’t want anything to interfere with such an enjoyable ride.

“Sir Dominic! We’ll be taking track number one at the next junction!”

Hime, dressed as a conductor, informed Sir Dominic about the next track through the radio.

Since this railway system had different directions for each track, they chose the most straightforward and ordinary track number one.

After saying this, Hime jumped over two tracks and entered track number one.

A perilous situation where the train could derail without precise timing and control!

However, Hime’s train only wobbled slightly before instantly regaining balance and accelerating on track number one.

It seemed Hime wasn’t exaggerating when she said the Ninja Tortoise’s strengths were speed and control.

After watching the locomotive change tracks in an instant, Sir Dominic shouted into his radio.

“Acknowledged.”

Sir Dominic was currently riding a spider tank, running parallel to the steam locomotive. He thought the spider tank’s performance was the best among all the mounts he had ridden so far.

Like a legendary steed that knights would spend thousands of gold to acquire, the spider tank seemed to read Sir Dominic’s mind, following his intentions perfectly.

As soon as the locomotive moved onto track one, Sir Dominic turned the control lever and entered the same track.

Since the spider tank was slightly faster than the locomotive, it almost collided with the train’s tail, but Sir Dominic naturally began running along the gentle cliff to the left, scaling the wall.

A truly unexpected movement befitting the name “spider tank”!

Sir Dominic climbed the wall gradually, eventually reaching the top of the cliff.

Each track would sometimes dip lower than the others.

This was a variable that allowed easier control from higher tracks.

Track number one was at such a point now, and Sir Dominic had instinctively taken the high ground to cover the locomotive running below.

“Amazing!”

Hime’s exclamation came through Sir Dominic’s radio.

“Usually no one covers me like this.”

Saying that, Hime increased the locomotive’s speed.

With such coverage, the engineer could focus entirely on operating the train.

Sir Dominic and Hime instantly passed through track number one’s weakest section.

Sir Dominic dropped from the cliff while still riding the spider tank.

For an ordinary vehicle, falling from this height of about 11 meters would be foolish, but the new spider tank was different.

The state-of-the-art suspension system absorbed most of the impact.

Considering Sir Dominic’s stats and 13.5% damage reduction, the spider tank would remain intact even falling from greater heights.

Sir Dominic slowed down slightly and followed closely behind the locomotive.

Then suddenly, their vision went dark.

They had entered a tunnel section.

Track changes continued even in the tunnel.

From track 1 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 3, 3 to 5.

And then back to 4.

Hime took the fastest route with surprisingly precise timing.

Sir Dominic clicked his tongue in amazement at her incredible control as he ran on track 3, adjacent to Hime’s track 4.

The tunnel exit would appear soon.

Hime’s locomotive burst out of track 4’s entrance, spewing fierce smoke.

It moved so fast that the light from the Tengu’s eyes stretched in the darkness, almost reaching the engine room.

Sir Dominic ran parallel to the locomotive horizontally before starting to pull ahead.

This was because obstacles occasionally appeared on the tracks in this section.

“Sir Dominic! There’s a statue ahead!”

Sure enough, Sir Dominic spotted a statue standing proudly on track 4.

Since Sir Dominic’s vision wasn’t the best, they had agreed that Hime, with her wider field of view, would alert him to such obstacles.

“Understood!”

Sir Dominic naturally overtook the locomotive.

The statue was small enough that the locomotive could smash through it, but if the train hit debris and jumped, it could derail and be disqualified.

To prevent this, Sir Dominic’s spider tank quickly approached the statue and kicked it aside with one of its legs.

The statue shattered into pieces as it hit the ground, but fortunately, there was no damage to the tracks.

“Problem solved!”

“Great! Now for the final section!”

Sir Dominic and Hime entered the final section.

It was a glass underwater tunnel section where they needed to be quite careful.

First, being made of glass, they couldn’t cause too much impact, and with only three tracks, overtaking was extremely difficult.

Ultimately, the victory in this track depended on who entered this final underwater tunnel section first.

Hime changed tracks in an instant.

She swiftly switched from track 4 to 2, then 2 to 3, with a wobbling motion.

This wasn’t a mistake but a strategy.

When in the lead, it was a movement to prevent pursuers from cutting in.

This amazing control showed exactly why the Ninja Tortoise always ranked at the top!

Sir Dominic, contrary to Hime, moved from track 3 to 2, 2 to 4, and back to 3.

By moving independently from Hime, he instinctively hindered pursuers and widened the gap.

The underwater tunnel was very dark.

During daytime, sunlight would have reached the lake bottom creating a dreamlike atmosphere, but it was night now.

After racing for a few more minutes, Sir Dominic and Hime emerged above the lake.

Hime began applying the brakes as soon as she crossed the finish line just ahead.

They had been moving so fast that even with immediate braking, they still traveled about 200 meters more.

“…Phew.”

Hime finally relaxed in the engine room, as if drained of energy.

Her neat captain’s uniform was slightly wrinkled.

“Are you alright?”

Sir Dominic stood beside Hime on his spider tank.

Sir Dominic was concerned about Hime after witnessing her surprisingly precise control.

Such precise control required considerable physical exertion.

As a tank, Sir Dominic could handle dozens of such races without issue, but unlike him, Hime had many things to consider in her position.

So Sir Dominic couldn’t help but worry about her.

“I’m fine.”

However, Hime only sweated a little from the tension and appeared fine outwardly.

“If I got tired from just this much, the Ninja Tortoise wouldn’t maintain its top ranking.”

Sir Dominic nodded at Hime’s words.

“No matter how fine you look on the outside, one never knows what’s happening inside. Don’t you need some rest?”

“…I suppose so.”

Sir Dominic dismounted from the spider tank and suggested Hime take a break.

Hime descended from the engine room.

As Sir Dominic said, she needed some rest.

She felt like she needed to stretch due to the stiffness from excessive tension.

Hime slowly climbed down the ladder next to the engine room, but perhaps due to fatigue, she missed the last rung.

“…!”

“Lady Hime!”

Hime felt a floating sensation along with a precarious feeling.

Her hand slipped from the ladder after missing her footing.

Normally, she would have managed with her nimble movements, but exhausted from three consecutive practice runs, Hime couldn’t move her body even if she tried.

At that moment, Sir Dominic, who had already descended, caught the falling Hime.

Literally in a princess carry position.

“…Are you hurt anywhere?”

Sir Dominic asked if Hime was alright.

“Ah, ah. Yes. Thanks to you…”

Hime momentarily failed to process what had just happened.

The event occurred so suddenly that the tired Hime couldn’t comprehend it.

Finally realizing what had just happened, Hime stammered in embarrassment.

“I’m glad you’re alright.”

Sir Dominic said as he set Hime down on the ground.

Hime frantically waved her ears and tail as she moved away from Sir Dominic’s arms.

Anyone could see she was filled with embarrassment.

Hime wished. For anyone to help her hide this embarrassment.

Had someone heard Hime’s wish?

At that moment, a bright light suddenly appeared from the direction of the underwater tunnel.

And an apocalyptic-designed steam locomotive stopped next to Sir Dominic and Hime.

Inside the apocalyptic steam locomotive were several people with mohawk hairstyles, who suddenly provoked Sir Dominic and Hime by sticking out their tongues and making throat-slitting gestures with their thumbs.

“What’s this, a couple? Kek. Looks like you’re trying to enter the steam locomotive race, but how can you win being so lovey-dovey?”

“Puhehehehe! Look at their expressions! Annoyed? Scared? Then don’t just talk, show us with action! If you can beat us… no, if you can even keep up with us, we’ll apologize!”

After saying this, the mohawked people raced away amid tremendous smoke.

Sir Dominic and Hime were suddenly provoked!

“…I suppose we can’t just ignore such a provocation.”

“…Indeed.”

Sir Dominic and Hime looked at each other, then got back on their spider tank and steam locomotive Matsuri.

Hime thought as she put a few pieces of coal into Matsuri’s engine room.

Why did her wish have to be granted in this way?

Sighing deeply, Hime started the engine again.

The Matsuri and the spider tank began moving along the tracks.