The third match between Kaito and Megiddo. In the final match, an Obstacle Course, Megiddo took the lead.
Currently, Megiddo is only using the same physical abilities as Kaito, and simply put, Kaito, who can use Body Strengthening Magic, should have been faster and more powerful than Megiddo.
However, Megiddo still currently has a large lead…… One of the reasons for this is the difference in stamina.
Megiddo is certainly running with the same physical ability as Kaito, but Megiddo is able to maintain Kaito’s maximum speed until the goal.
However, Kaito had to run while adjusting his stamina, and as a result, there was a gap of about two obstacles between them.However, bluntly speaking, “Megiddo had predicted for a development like this to occur”. Or rather, it might be better to say that this was inevitable.
Even if two people drive the same car that has the same performance, the difference between the abilities of an F1 racer and an amateur driver can be clearly seen. It was natural that Megiddo would take the lead.
Yes, that’s why…… Megiddo asked “Alice to be the one creating these obstacles”.
< Now, Megiddo-san is fast! He has already dashed through the first half of the race course. He has slightly opened up a distance with Kaito-san! >
After glancing at the Live commentator Alice, Megiddo grinned and turned his attention back to the race course.
(I know…… The real deal is about to come now, right? Shalltear, you’re extremely partial towards Kaito. That is exactly why I asked you this! If it’s you, “you’d make a race course that would give Kaito a good chance of beating me”, even under these conditions, right? It wouldn’t be any fun if you don’t! Now, what have you prepared?)
With a smile on his face, he arrived at the next obstacle.Before him was a small cube placed on the desk. Seeing this cube, Megiddo slowed down and tilted his head in wonder.
(……What’s this?)
< Now, Megiddo-san has reached the turning point of the first half of the race course. The obstacle in front of him is called a “Rubik’s Cube”! A toy from another world. The explanation is posted on the desk~~ >
Megiddo, seeing the Rubik’s Cube for the first time, quickly looks over the instructions on the desk.
(I see…… So it’s a puzzle huh…… Fumu, I thought I knew some things about toys from another world, but I’ve never seen this before…… Well, this is just about making this toy’s six sides have the same colors, so let’s get this over with.)
Megiddo moves the cube around, checking the combinations…… Even though it was the first time he had used this toy, it was simple to play and he was able to match the colors smoothly.
A minute or so after Megiddo arrived at this obstacle, Kaito finally caught up with him.
< Now then, it seems like Kaito-san has also arrived at the same obstacle. This item is a toy from another world, which should be advantageous for the otherworlder Kaito-san…… Would he be able to turn the tables here? >
(……You’re being naive, Kaito certainly may have been accustomed with this toy…… but I’ve already solved three sides. After a minute here, this will be an easy victory…… Unnn?)
Thinking that he won’t be able to turn the tables here, Megiddo glanced towards Kaito…… He held the Rubik’s Cube in his hand and looked at it from various angles for about 10 seconds.
And then……
[W- Whaaaaaat!?]
Immediately afterwards, Kaito’s hands moved without any hesitation and arranged all six sides in the blink of an eye.
< Kaito-san’s amazing! He passed through that obstacle in the blink of an eye! The tables have been turned!!! >
(T- That’s impossible! What the heck was that just now? It only took him 20 seconds…… no, less than 15 seconds to complete it!?)
For Kaito, Rubik’s Cube is one of his few specialties, but Megiddo, who has no idea about such a thing, is so astonished that his hands stopped.
(I- It’s as if he knows the procedure all along…… Could it be that Shalltear taught him that? No, that’s not it. There’s no way that she would blatantly use such a method…… I’m pretty sure she made this course in favor for Kaito, but it’s really hard to tell……)
For a moment, Megiddo considered the possibility that Alice had leaked the answer to Kaito, but he quickly dismissed it in his mind and returned to the task of aligning the Rubik’s cube.
However, he wasn’t just lightly shaken, he was feeling somewhat flustered.
(……The first obstacle, stepping stones were large and closely spaced. The second obstacle, the slop was also made of non-slip materials…… They had been adjusted so that even Kaito who wasn’t used to moving his body could easily break through. Yes, Shalltear’s help should be just that…… Anything more than that wouldn’t convince Kaito that she isn’t being biased towards him. That means what happened just now was just Kaito’s ability? However, how could he solve it that fast…… No, wait a moment?)
In response to Kaito’s speed, which could be described as overwhelming, Megiddo tried to calm his agitated mind and regulated his thoughts.
At that moment, Megiddo had also arranged all six sides and continued to think as he ran to catch up with Kaito who was ahead of him.
(Kaito looked at the cube for about 10 seconds in the beginning…… Could it be…… He saw through the steps to solve it in those ten seconds!? T- That’s outrageous……)
When Megiddo realized how good Kaito was at Rubik’s Cube, he slightly shivered, and shaking his shoulders once…… before he viciously smiled.
[H- Hahaha! That’s right!!! Now this is what I’m talking about!!!]
< Whoa there, Megiddo-san roared! He’s now breaking through the obstacles with tremendous speed! >
For Megiddo, competitions are the best…… Megiddo is a genuine battle maniac who is more motivated the stronger his opponents are.
And now, his fighting spirit was ignited.
Although he was still adhering to the limits of physical abilities they’ve arranged, his movements were even leaner and sharper than before.
His momentum was so strong that he immediately caught up with Kaito and overtook him……
< T- The tables have turned yet again! It’s a burning hot battle!!! >
< ……Hey, No-chan? I have some questions here…… >
< Unnn? What’s the matter? >
< I don’t know if it’s just me…… but I feel like Kai-chan is “unfocused” since earlier. >
< Ahh~~ You’re right. There’s a little bit of waste in his movements. >
< ……I guess he’s doing something huh? >
< ……I wonder? I can already predict what he’s doing, but I guess it would be better if we wait and see, isn’t it? >
Even though Megiddo, who was running with a burning fighting spirit, was gradually pulling away from him, the expression on Kaito’s face did not change.
And then, he quietly muttered something.
[……With this…… Setting up for the end game is complete…… Just…… a few distance more……]
Kaito quietly but is surely making his preparations…… Even as the gap widened between them, there was still not a trace of resignation in his eyes.
There are now three obstacles of a difference between him and Megiddo…… Even so, he’s still “within range” so……
<Afterword>
Kaito, what in the world are you going to use your whateverpilot for……
T/N: 8/236
