Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 40 - Chapter 1

Episode 1: Racing Brothers Hani & Ho—The Fire Dragon Emperor Descends!

Three pairs of eyes were glued to the old TV. Its picture quality was poor, but the three viewers were enraptured by what it was playing. Their hearts soared together as they watched their new favorite anime.

“Ho, ho! Let’s go, Mach Falcon!”

“You’re in too much of a rush, Thunder Tornado! Hit the brakes, ho!”

“What’s the matter, King Castle?! Is that all you’ve got?!”

The three viewers were none other than the haniwas and the Fire Dragon Emperor in his stuffed animal form, and the anime was a long-running children’s program about racing radio-controlled cars. Karama, Korama, and Alunaya were all cheering for their favorite contestants. Drawn by their excited voices, Koutarou looked up from his homework.

“This show’s been around for ages...” he muttered.

This anime was called Racing Brothers Rough & Road MAX, and it had indeed been around since Koutarou himself was a child. The series subtitle would change from time to time, but it remained the same show at heart. The current iteration involved a national tournament arc that pitted the protagonists against a secret organization developing illegal motors. It was, and always had been, quite popular.

“Ho! Falcooon!”

“Now, ho! Thunder Tornado!”

“Keep it up and stomp Thunder too, Castle!”

The show had captured the hearts of the few boys in room 106. Without fail, they gathered in front of the TV at 5:30 PM every Friday.

“Well, it’s not like I don’t get the appeal,” Koutarou continued.

Even though the haniwas and Alunaya were making a racket while he was trying to do his homework, Koutarou understood how they felt. The haniwas had spent most of their lives underground, and Alunaya hailed from an entirely different world. Moreover, the show was only half an hour long, so he saw no need to scold them over a little fuss. And most of all, he’d been a fan of the show himself once upon a time.

“So this is what it looks like nowadays... I had no idea it was so intense.”

Eventually, Koutarou was drawn into watching it with them. The episode reached a race scene in the back half, which felt like the perfect time for a homework break. Once the ending and next episode preview rolled, Koutarou got back to work. He’d been struggling with a particular math problem, but he was now able to solve it with ease. In the end, the break had been beneficial.

As he moved on to the next problem, Karama came tugging at his sleeve. “Big Brother, Big Brother!”

“Hm?” Koutarou looked over and saw the haniwas on either side of Alunaya. For some reason, their eyes were sparkling.

“Blue Knight,” began Alunaya, “you may be busy, but I implore you to hear us out.”

“Big Brother, we have a request for you! Ho!”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime favor, ho!”

Their eyes still aglitter, all three slowly closed in. Koutarou could now sense that—whatever they were going to ask—this was going to be big. When he glanced at them and then the TV behind them, it all fell into place.

“You don’t need to say another word,” he announced, standing up and making for the door. “Let’s go!”

“Blue Knight?”

“Ho? Where are you going?”

This left Alunaya and the haniwas perplexed. They followed after Koutarou, albeit with puzzled looks on their little faces. Koutarou stopped in the doorway and turned around.

“Where else? We’re gonna hit the hobby shop by the station,” he informed them.

His intention was to go buy some remote-controlled cars. He figured that was the “favor” they wanted to ask him, but the anime had piqued his interest in RC cars too. He felt like checking them out again himself. It was just past six o’clock, so the store should still be open. If they wanted to act today, now was the time.

“That’s our Big Brother! He knows what’s up, ho!”

“Expect no less of the man Ane-san has chosen, ho!”

“Let us depart to the sacred place of radio-controlled devices!”

“Ho!”

“Ho-oh!”

Once the haniwas and Alunaya realized what Koutarou was up to, they quickly scrambled after him. They didn’t want to be left behind, and they wanted to get their hands on their own cars as soon as possible.

Koutarou received a salary from Theia, who enjoyed acting the part of his liege. Considering their close relationship, however, he never spent the money she gave him on himself. He only used it for purchases that everyone could enjoy together—like splurging on sukiyaki for dinner or planning a group vacation. And by that logic, springing for RC cars for the boys was an acceptable expense. Koutarou believed this would be a good opportunity to bond with Alunaya and the haniwas.

Because Kisshouharukaze City was far from the bigger city centers of Japan, land was fairly inexpensive. There were RC tracks all over town, making Kisshouharukaze quite a draw for enthusiasts. The hobby shop by the station—the largest in the neighborhood—was indeed a sacred place of sorts. At 6:30 in the evening, the store was packed. This was a prime shopping hour for anyone on their way home from work or school.

“Ho! There are so many RC cars, ho!”

“And so many customers, ho!”

“I knew this would be a sport for the masses! All the more worth challenging!”

Even before entering the store, the three tiny figures were ecstatic. As soon as they saw the illuminated shop sign in the distance, they took off running and left Koutarou in the dust. They were behaving like children, but Koutarou understood that too. He’d done the same once himself, so instead of scolding them, he let them have their fun. They were cloaked at the moment so other people couldn’t see or hear them, so it wasn’t an issue anyway.

“Hmm, they offer more prebuilt models than they used to... Well, I guess being able to play with them right out of the box makes them more accessible for new fans.”

Even Koutarou started to get excited when he stepped inside the store. It had always had a large selection of goods, but its current stock was almost mind-blowing. There were several shelves devoted to controllers alone, and the cars themselves had entire aisles.

“As long as we get a body, I could do a nostalgic build... But there’re so many options, I hardly know what to pick.”

Individual car parts took up almost as much space. With such a wide selection, buyers could make their own machines from scratch. As Koutarou browsed, he could feel his old passion for RC cars being reignited.

“Oh?” When he left the parts section and headed to the paint aisle, he spotted a familiar face in the store. “What are you doing here, Clan?”

“My... what an unusual place to run into each other, Veltlion.” Indeed, Koutarou had laid eyes on Clan. When she noticed him, she put the solvent she was holding back on the shelf. “I’ve been coming here for paints and solvents for some time.”

“Oh, right. I guess this place is like a gold mine for you.”

Clan was in possession of a great deal of advanced technology and frequently developed her own. The invention process, however, required materials to work with, and since she was far from Forthorthe, she would quickly exhausted her supply if she stuck to Forthorthian materials. To prevent this, she sourced locally on Earth whenever she could. That was particularly true for paints which, aside from special cases, were as good as their Forthorthian counterparts. Clan was actually a frequent shopper at the hobby shop.

“So, what brings you here, Veltlion?” she asked. “Ah, I suppose you’re here for the store’s intended purpose.”

“Yeah. We came to pick up some RC cars.”

“Hmm? ‘We’?” Clan echoed with a mystified look. She couldn’t think of anyone else from room 106 who was into model cars and the like.

“See for yourself,” Koutarou replied.

“Ho! To think they’ve already produced a Falcon with its Brave Wing gear, ho!”

“They have Thunder Tornado’s Big Wheels too, ho!”

“What is this one?! There’s a bear riding it!”

“I see,” remarked Clan. “So they dragged you here.”

Once she realized the haniwas and Alunaya were with Koutarou, Clan nodded sagely. It wasn’t hard at all to imagine they were the ones behind this. Koutarou was just a chaperone.

“Not exactly,” he corrected her. “I used to be into this kind of stuff, so I’m tagging along for nostalgia kicks.”

“I see.”

“So yeah, I’ll see you later.”

“Huh? Ah, yes... See you later...”

Koutarou turned around and headed over to where the haniwas and Alunaya were excitedly shouting without even glancing back. It was all so casual that Clan found it anticlimactic.

Are RC cars more important than me...?

Clan had no interest in RC cars. In her eyes, they were a boyish hobby. Moreover, her lack of coordination was a serious hurdle. She couldn’t imagine she’d be any good with them. They had thus never sparked her curiosity before.

“Hold on, Veltlion!”

“Hmm?”

But that changed in an instant when she found out Koutarou was into them. What hobby could possibly be so engaging that he would leave her in the dust like that? So, with a mix of interest and jealousy, she chased after him.

Koutarou and the others set about picking out their cars. While they could have easily gone with the prebuilt kind, they all found themselves in the DIY section of the hobby shop. Their rationale? Because that’s how the protagonists of Racing Brothers rolled.

“If you don’t put your own machine together, it won’t have a soul, ho!”

“I have no interest in a mere toy, ho! What I need is a partner that’ll stick with me through thick and thin, ho!”

“Indeed! How can one truly bond with their vehicle if they do not understand its constituent components? An emperor must design a machine of his own!”

“Nice,” Koutarou remarked. “You guys really get what this is all about.”

“Big Brother, should I get this kit, ho?”

“There’s no Thunder Tornado kit, ho!”

“I happened to notice there was a Thunder Tornado body in the previous section of this fine establishment, so you could procure that alongside a kit, could you not?”

“Yeah,” answered Koutarou. “That’s how you do it.”

Since this would be the first time the haniwas and Alunaya were building models themselves, they didn’t want to go too overboard. Still, buying a premade car would be too boring. As a compromise, they decided on kits that contained everything they’d need to get started (except for spare batteries). And in the event that there weren’t kits they liked, they could always buy other bodies alongside them. Bodies were comparatively cheap and easy enough to swap out, making kits the perfect introduction for any beginner.

“Ho-oh? You’re getting a jeep, Big Brother?”

“In the show, ho, they said that those can do wheelies but they’re difficult to control!”

“I’m not letting a little difficulty get between me and my dreams!”

Koutarou had chosen a perennially popular large-wheeled jeep model. Its center of gravity was in the rear, so when rapidly accelerating, the front of the vehicle would pop up in wheelie fashion. It was a fun gimmick, but overall, it was a weakness in the design. Jeeps required more care when taking sharp turns, for example. But since the other three were complete beginners, Koutarou felt a little handicap would be fine. He’d always wanted to try one when he was a kid, anyway.

“A fine decision, Blue Knight.”

“Theia-chan’s always talking about that kind of stuff too, ho!”

“And Uncle Dragon picked a tractor, ho! That was unexpected, ho!”

“I shall paint it this color. Let’s see... Eminent Red!”

“The perfect color for an emperor, ho!”

Alunaya had chosen a model manufactured as a special cross-promotion with a local mascot character. It looked like a tractor, but only on the outside. Inside, it used the same parts as other cars, so it was actually a prized model for its lightness. It also had a tiny bear sitting in the driver’s seat. Painted red, it would be quite flashy.

“Karama, don’t you want the Brave Wing gear for your Falcon too?” Koutarou asked.

“Ho-oh! They have that?!”

“It’s popular, so they have the parts for it, at least.”

“I got Thunder’s Big Wheels, ho!”

Karama and Korama had selected the models that the titular brothers in the anime used. They had dynamic designs you would never see on real vehicles, but such fantastic details were another small joy of RC cars. Before long, the two main cars straight out of the anime would be racing alongside each other.

“Hmm...”

Clan had been watching the boys pick out their cars and was slowly starting to come around. She’d only ever seen RC vehicles as children’s playthings, but it seemed there was more to them.

“These are surprisingly complex...”

She looked at the various kits surrounding her and began to appreciate the appeal of the hobby. By combining all kinds of parts, she could personalize her very own car to race with. These models were smaller and cheaper than real cars, making the sport far more accessible—meaning there were far more competitors too. Climbing to the top of the RC world was potentially even more difficult than climbing to the top of the real racing world.

“Besides...”

In truth, Clan was feeling left out. Koutarou and the others were happily talking about this and that, but she had nothing to add or offer to the conversation. It was alienating.

If I joined in... If I made my own machine and joined the races...

From Clan’s point of view, RC cars were just small machines built with basic technology. Nevertheless, that was right in her wheelhouse. She might enjoy playing around with one. It might provide some fulfillment beyond just assisting her with her research. That feeling gave her a little push.

“Veltlion,” she called out.

“What is it?” Koutarou replied.

“I’ve decided to try RC cars too.”

Thus Clan took a bold step forward. Basic or not, the idea of chatting with Koutarou and the others about technology was appealing to her.

“Really? Color me surprised... Wait, I guess this is actually right up your alley.”

“That’s right. The goal is to compact as much technology as possible into a tight space, isn’t it?”

“Hmm, well, I guess. But be careful. Overdoing it tends to backfire.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to? I do harder things on a daily basis.”

“Yeah, guess I’m preaching to the choir. But this should be interesting, I gotta say.”

“We welcome you, ho!”

“Just like in the show, a new rival has appeared at a most unexpected time! Ahaha, splendid!”

“That’s right, ho! Clan-chan will be a powerful rival, ho!”

The group happily welcomed Clan. Although her coordination left much to be desired, her skill with technology was second to none. She would undoubtedly be a good addition to their team, and their upcoming showdown would be all the more interesting with her present.

Since Clan joined in late, everyone else helped her shop. While she knew everything there was to know about technology, she knew next to nothing about RC cars. Everyone’s advice was appreciated.

“So what kind of design catches your eye, Clan? One based on a real car? Or something funky you’d only see in an RC model?” Koutarou asked.

“Is there no appreciable difference in performance?” Clan asked in turn.

“Not really. They’re all built for racing, so the batteries and motors are pretty much all regulation.”

Koutarou and the others weren’t planning to participate in any official races, but they were still abiding by the rules of the sport. That was what the haniwas and Alunaya wanted, because they wanted to play just like the characters in the show did.

“The ideal model would be the one with the heaviest parts to take advantage of my strengths.”

“So that’s your strategy, huh? Then you should go with the buggy style. They’re longtime bestsellers and have lots of models, so there are tons of parts available.”

Koutarou’s explanation was easy to understand, but Clan was stumped by something else.

“What’s with that face?” he asked.

“Nothing... You just aren’t teasing me like normal. It feels a little weird,” she replied.

It was rare for Koutarou to stay so serious for so long without cracking a joke at her expense—at least, not without a battle ahead of them. Clan hardly knew what to make of it.

“Ribbing you now would only jeopardize our race. Besides, it’s in poor taste to heckle a beginner. I know when to quit.”

“O-Of course. Sorry.”

Deciding to take part in a hobby of Koutarou’s was already paying dividends for Clan.

It’s true that there’s no point in trying to bring down someone you’re playing with. Come to think of it, I’m never that considerate around Veltlion...

That in and of itself was one reason Koutarou teased Clan so much, but he laid off whenever they were working together on something. He was the same way when sewing with Harumi or playing video games with Theia. He saw them as teammates. It was just uncommon for him to share a mutual interest with Clan like this.

He’s also like this when he’s helping me with my research or when we’re in battle... Or when he’s practicing, for that matter. I see... So that’s what’s going on!

Clan came to the realization that she’d been more withdrawn than she thought. In light of this, she was glad she’d decided to take the plunge with RC cars.

“So, you gonna do any modifications?” Koutarou asked her, returning to the subject of her car.

“No, not at first,” she replied. “I’m going to build the model and make my modifications afterward.”

“Well said, Clan-chan! Ho!”

“You’re just like Yama-san from the pit crew, ho!”

“Ah, jeez,” Koutarou sighed. “You’re gonna go all out, aren’t you?”

“Of course. This is a race, you know.”

“Beginner or not, I can’t underestimate you.”

“Indeed! We had best not let our guard down against the other half of the legendary duo who saved Forthorthe of yore! Ahahaha, my excitement for our coming showdown only grows!”

Like Koutarou, the haniwas and Alunaya acknowledged Clan as a rival. Everyone wanted a fair fight—to beat the others with their own masterfully crafted machine. Tensions were high. And Clan was sure they were going to have fun together.

Alunaya in stuffed animal form danced atop Koutarou’s head while the haniwas rolled around on the floor next to him. Koutarou was extremely difficult to wake, but not even he could sleep forever with this kind of interference. Eventually, he tiredly opened his eyes.

“Ho! Wake up, Brother!”

“It’s morning, ho!”

“What’s with all the fuss so early...?”

Just roused from a deep slumber, Koutarou couldn’t entirely process what was happening. Alunaya, who was still jumping up and down on his head, decided to fill him in.

“Rise, Blue Knight! We pledged to play with our RC cars today!”

“Ah, yeah, I guess we did...”

With that, Koutarou let out a big yawn and got up. He had indeed promised the haniwas and Alunaya that they would play together on the weekend. They were so excited about it that they’d woken Koutarou up first thing.

“Oh? You’re here too, Clan?”

Once he was up, Koutarou spotted the pink-haired princess too.

“G-Good morning, Veltlion.”

“Morning. Did these guys wake you up too?”

“No... That’s not...”

Koutarou figured Clan had gotten the same treatment, but she was acting odd. Evasive and awkward.

“Clan-chan was already here when we showed up, ho!”

“She was pondering how to wake you, ho!”

“Oh, so you’re with them.”

“S-So what if I am?!”

Clan had in fact been the first to rise that morning. She was so impatient for the day that she’d set out for room 106 just as soon as she’d awoken. Being able to share a hobby with friends meant the world to her.

“If you were already here, you could’ve just woken me up. We’ve got lots to do, you know.”

Of course, Koutarou had no complaints. He’d been looking forward to the occasion himself, and putting together RC cards wasn’t exactly quick work. Getting a head start would be critical. He shared Clan and the others’ enthusiasm—he just hadn’t woken up as early.

“But how was I supposed to wake you up?”

“At times like this, it’s okay to pinch me. I wouldn’t be mad.”

“R-Really? Then that’s what I’ll do next time.”

With that, a smile returned to Clan’s face. Of course, it wasn’t just her. All five friends were happily smiling.

When building an RC car, the most time-consuming part was detailing the body. The work itself didn’t take all that long, but there was something else to take into consideration.

“Big Brother, why are you starting with the body, ho?”

“Shouldn’t you start with the insides, ho?”

“It takes a while for the paint to dry.”

“He’s right. Even with the heat machine in my lab, it’ll take more than two hours,” Clan added.

“Aha, brilliant! So we paint before beginning with the machinery, do we?” Alunaya chimed in.

“Yup. The paint should be dry by the time we’re done with all that.”

Accordingly, painting the body of the car before getting to work on anything else was a matter of efficiency. If you began with the machinery instead, you would be left with downtime while waiting for the paint to dry at the end. There were certain car models that required preinstalling particular parts to determine their positioning, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case for any of the cars that Koutarou and the others had purchased.

“Since everyone has a plastic body, we need to start with a primer for a good foundation. Actually, maybe we should even sand these down first,” Koutarou suggested.

“That won’t be necessary,” Clan replied. “I did some light sandblasting for us yesterday.”

“How nice of you. Thanks, Clan.”

“It was nothing. Heh heh...”

The group was now getting to work aboard Clan’s Cradle. Her atelier there was the perfect place to put together RC cars. There was plenty of space—not to mention every tool they could possibly need.

“This is even more amazing than Yama-chan’s studio, ho!”

“There’s all kinds of stuff here, ho!”

“I shall enjoy this immensely! I have always been intrigued by that tool for painting various things!”

Clan had made preparations ahead of time so the group could begin painting first thing. It would be done by spray, but with an airbrush rather than spray paint. Clan had chosen it because it would result in a nicer finish—and because she knew the haniwas and Alunaya would have fun with it.

“Please find the booth with your name on it to begin painting,” she instructed them.

“Mine’s here, here!”

“Thank you, Clan-chan, ho!”

“Let’s get right to it! Don your aprons!” she instructed further.

“Ho!”

“Ho-oh!”

While Alunaya and the haniwas were too excited to notice, Clan had arranged small airbrushes that would be easier for their tiny bodies to use. Thanks to that, they were able to enjoy painting without any obstacles. Even Koutarou could tell at a glance that setting all of this up had taken far more work than putting together any RC car.

“You can be a good girl when you want to.”

“I mean... I didn’t...”

“I hadn’t even considered they’d need special tools. Thanks for that.”

Koutarou was impressed that Clan had thought that far ahead, and he patted her on the head in a show of his appreciation.

“Veltlion... I didn’t really do anything different than usual...”

Clan felt what she’d done was only natural, yet the response she’d gotten was anything but. She was puzzled (though she was also incredibly pleased). She lightly touched her hand to her head as she walked off to her own painting booth.

Although it was everyone’s first time painting cars this way, they all managed to finish up within the hour. Different parts took different colors, so the system was easy enough to follow even for a total beginner. While the bodies cooked in the drying machine for the next three hours, they’d set about the rest of their work.

“All right! It’s finally time to move on to assembling the machinery,” Koutarou informed everyone.

“At long last!” cheered Alunaya.

“It’s my first time, ho, so I’m a little nervous!”

“They never show the full assembly in the show, ho!”

“I guess not, huh?” Koutarou hummed. “Hey, I know. Why don’t you give us a demonstration, Clan?”

“Me?”

“Yeah. I believe in you.”

Clan’s heart skipped a beat. Koutarou was of course complimenting her technical skills, but she couldn’t help taking it to mean something else.

“Understood,” she replied. “Please come this way, everyone.”

“Ho!”

“Ho! Ho!”

“Let us see what you’ve got.”

“Clan’s a real master when it comes to tech.”

Since Alunaya and the haniwas were beginners, Clan would build her car first as an example for them. The boys gathered around her worktable, their eyes fixed on her.

This is strange... Why am I getting so excited?

She was just putting together a basic machine, but her heart was racing—for more than one reason. She couldn’t keep herself from grinning, even though it was inappropriate for the task at hand.

“First things first, make certain that you have all of the necessary parts. Most instructions will omit this step, but it’s critical. Take stock of all your parts against the list included in the kit,” she instructed.

“Commencing list scan, ho! Transferring data, ho!”

“Commencing image analysis, ho! Comparing the received data, ho! All parts are present and accounted for, ho!”

“That was convenient...”

“Behold the power of brothers, ho!”

“A combo attack, ho!”

“This is largely the same as building any plastic model. The kit comes with instructions, so you just have to follow what they say.”

Clan started by picking up the chassis that would be the foundation of her car. Following the instructions step by step, she began assembling the various components. There was no hesitation in her movements, and even the way she turned the screws was graceful.

“Make sure to be especially careful when adding the steering and driving systems. Since they’ll determine how your vehicle moves, you must ensure they’re oriented correctly when attaching them to the chassis.”

“Of course!” remarked Alunaya. “Because they could get flipped around in packaging or assembly, yes?”

“Precisely, Alunaya-dono. You would make a good engineer.”

Clan continued to give pointers and instructions as she worked, and she answered everyone’s questions as they came up. All the while, her expression was brighter and her voice more cheerful than usual.

Was she always this cute...?

During her presentation, Koutarou found himself charmed at several points. Clan was radiant, cheerful, and innocent. It was a side of her he’d never seen before—or perhaps one he’d never tried to see.

“What’s the matter, Veltlion?” she asked.

“...I was just kinda taken by how cute you are.”

“Jeez, Veltlion! Take this seriously! You’re the one who asked for a demonstration!”

Clan assumed Koutarou was only joking, but in truth, he was baring his heart. He couldn’t help thinking that joining their small RC group was a sign she’d grown.

The haniwas and Alunaya were ready and raring to go after Clan’s demonstration, and they began assembling their own vehicles at a confident pace. That was, of course, in large part thanks to the appropriately sized tools Clan had prepared for them.

The following weekend, Koutarou and the others were set to have their first race. They’d used the intervening week to adjust and modify their machines. Thanks to that, their cars were now quite different from when they’d first been assembled.

“Isn’t this kinda unfair, you guys?” Koutarou muttered in exasperation as he beheld the other four racers lined up next to his jeep. They’d all undergone rather radical customizations. “Especially you, Clan.”

“This isn’t anything that major, is it?”

Clan’s modifications to her buggy seemed rather modest at first glance. She’d drilled holes in various places to make the machine lighter, purchased more powerful gears that were perfect circles, and replaced the grease on the moving parts with the best she could get from Forthorthe. However, one modification in particular stood out—a part shaped like a globe had been attached to the driver’s position.

“What’s with that ball?!” Koutarou demanded.

“What’s wrong with adding a camera? Don’t be so stingy,” Clan replied.

When they’d been putting their cars together, Koutarou and the boys had agreed to allow Clan a camera as a handicap. The sphere in her buggy’s driver’s seat was the result of that. It was a device of her own invention that could record in all directions. The footage was sent to a computer that projected it directly to Clan’s eyes, meaning she could control her machine like she was driving it herself. On top of that, the footage was analyzed to keep her apprised of her rivals’ locations. So with the simple addition of a camera, she’d effectively created a VR control system, complete with radar.

“You guys aren’t much better!” Koutarou complained, turning to the haniwas.

“We haven’t made any illegal modifications, ho!”

“We followed all of the rules, ho!”

“You’re planning on riding your RC cars, aren’t you?!”

“Nope, ho!”

“We’ll be flying two millimeters above them, ho!”

The haniwas’ choice modification wasn’t a far cry from Clan’s. They had added seats to the roofs of their RC cars—steering the vehicles from there would effectively be driving them. The additional elevation also gave them a better field of view. But since actually riding their cars would be against the rules, they would be flying two millimeters above the seats instead—a technical loophole that was just barely considered fair play.

“You’ve gone overboard too, Alunaya-dono!” Koutarou continued.

“Have you a complaint about my Prominence Kaiser?” Alunaya returned.

Alunaya’s vehicle was the most striking of the lot. He’d assembled it with great care following Clan’s example, and he’d painted the body a fiery red with a gold flake finish (with Shizuka’s help). Living up to its name, Prominence Kaiser was a flashy RC car that looked like it had jumped straight out of the anime. The only real difference from the kit was that the local mascot character had been removed from the driver’s seat. In its place sat a centimeters-tall version of Alunaya himself. The mini Alunaya was a clone made from mana that shared its senses with the real Alunaya. In a sense, it was an even more advanced VR system than Clan’s.

“It’s not a complaint, exactly... Wahaha! You know what? Fine! If that’s what you’re all going to play, I have a trick or two up my sleeve too! I won’t be holding back, so let me show you that the control scheme isn’t the only thing to RC racing!”

There was a glint in Koutarou’s eye now that he’d realized his rivals were serious about their upcoming race. He’d been planning to hold back during the first round—but not anymore. He was going to go all out and crush the competition. He was committed now, even if that meant showing no mercy.

Since they couldn’t let anyone see the haniwas or Alunaya, the group had made a special reservation at the track outside of its normal hours. Fortunately, one of Kiriha’s associates was the owner and she’d been willing to make the arrangements. So, as the organizer, Kiriha came to see the race the day of. And sitting next to her was the race’s sponsor, Theia, who’d agreed to fund the event in the name of the Forthorthian royal family. It was thus dubbed the Theiamillis Cup, making the weekend’s race the First Theiamillis Cup RC Grand Prix. The prize was ten servings of sukiyaki. All of the participating vehicles were off-road models, so they would be running the dirt course. The first to finish five laps would be declared the winner.

“Hahaha, the time has finally come! Flame on, Kaiser!” cried Alunaya.

Prominence Kaiser sitting at the starting line burst into ethereal crimson flames. They were just an illusion created by Alunaya’s surplus mana, but it looked like something straight from the show.

“We won’t lose either, ho! Falcon, Brave Wing!”

“Thunder Tornado, Full Burst! Ho!”

Not willing to be shown up, Karama bid his Mach Falcon deploy its wings. The lines along its body began to glow. Similarly, the rear cover of Korama’s Thunder Tornado’s opened up, exposing a crystal within that sparked with lightning. Both were illusions that they’d asked Maki to make.

“I had no idea these models were so accurate to the anime...”

“Clan, those are absolutely not normal RC cars!”

The buggy and jeep were the only two racers that didn’t join in the showing off—but that wasn’t representative of their drivers. Both Clan and Koutarou were also getting pumped.

“All right, everyone! Get ready!”

Standing at the starting line was an excited Sanae. Since she thought it would be fun, she’d volunteered to kick off the race. When she waved the flag, the competitors would take off—and that moment was swiftly approaching.

“Get set...”

All eyes fell on the checkered flag Sanae held high. As if she’d been waiting for exactly that, she swung it down with a bright smile.

“Gooooo!”

Compared to normal cars, their miniature RC counterparts hit their top speeds quickly. The high electric output of their batteries caused their motors to turn at high speeds, and all five racers sped off in a fierce skirmish to take the first corner.

“Damn it, my handicap got me!” Koutarou cursed.

He was a little behind the others because his jeep model was prone to doing wheelies when he gunned it. Because the first corner was so close to the starting line, he wouldn’t be able to steer through the turn with his front wheels in the air. He needed to accelerate slower to ensure he maintained control of his vehicle.

“Hahaha! I will not let anyone get ahead of me!” Alunaya roared.

The Fire Dragon Emperor was indeed out in front of the pack. With his animal reflexes, he’d taken off the instant Sanae had swung the flag. The haniwas and Clan were no match for him in that regard, so they were following close behind.

“These turns are nothing! Tallyho, Kaiser!”

Hailing from the rocky peaks of a volcanic mountain range, Alunaya was used to flying through narrow spaces. The concept of steering was new to him, but his navigation of the environment was second to none. His red tractor quickly and smoothly cleared curve after curve.

“I knew that Uncle Dragon was no normal driver, ho!”

“Keep calm, ho! Let’s review the data from this first lap, ho! It looks like he loses speed on the turns, ho!”

“I see! Kaiser is big, so it swings outward on the curves, ho!”

“Ho! The turns are our chance, then! Our smaller cars should be able to overtake him from the inner track, ho!”

With this new plan, the haniwas began turning things around on the second lap. They used the data they’d collected during the first to strategically adjust their course. As a result, they were slowly gaining on Alunaya.

“You’d use my own skills against me?! I knew you Racing Brothers were not to be underestimated!” he cried.

The race was a competition of instinct and insight. The fight for first place was a nuanced battle of capitalizing on your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. The battle unfolding at the rear of the pack, however, was a little different...

“You sure made something crazy,” Koutarou gibed.

Clan’s buggy was practically gliding along the dirt track. Despite the many bumps in the road, her car drove along on an even keel—proof that she’d been picky down to the oil dampeners. In comparison, Koutarou’s jeep was bouncing up and down.

“I can’t win by technique, so this is the least I had to do to compete,” Clan replied.

Naturally, she’d been particular about more than just her oil dampeners, but she was still just a normal girl. Clan was fond of unmanned vehicles yet couldn’t measure up to Koutarou in terms of handling—even with her VR control system. With each lap, he gradually closed in on her until finally...

“Whoa!”

While Clan was distracted talking to Koutarou, she accidentally swung wide on a turn. Koutarou smoothly pulled up behind her, closing the gap between them in the third lap.

“I finally caught you, Clan!”

“I won’t let you get ahead of me!”

Now that they were bumper to bumper, Clan and Koutarou both changed their strategies. He tried to take any opening he could to pull ahead, while she did everything she could to block him. Trying to anticipate one another’s moves, their machines swerved back and forth. At first, Koutarou had assumed he’d easily be able to pass Clan as long as he caught up to her. But as things played out, that wasn’t the case.

“Why can’t I pass you?!”

“I know you better than anyone. Naturally, I ran simulations ahead of time.”

“Who would go that far?!”

Clan truly did know Koutarou better than anyone. She had a wealth of his combat data, and she’d accordingly created an AI based on him to train with before the race.

Damn, we’re already in the fourth lap! I won’t be able to catch up to the front at this rate! I guess I have no other choice!

Based on their machines and Clan’s countermeasures to keep him in check, Koutarou quickly determined that it would be impossible to get ahead of her using normal means. He thus decided to do whatever it would take.

“Say, Clan...”

“I’m busy, so keep it brief!”

“I heard you put on some weight recently.”

“Who spread such slander—” WHAM! “Oh nooo!”

“Wahaha, see you later!”

Shaken by Koutarou’s words, Clan ran off course and crashed into a wall. That was exactly what Koutarou needed to leave her in the dust. It had to be said that he knew Clan like the back of his hand too.

“Ah, Veltlion! You cheater!” Clan shouted.

“You can do it, Glasses! Get Koutarou!” Sanae cheered.

“I intend to do precisely that!”

Sanae returned Clan’s buggy to the course using her psychic powers. Its VR system had been destroyed in the crash, however, so Clan removed it before speeding off after Koutarou.

Now I’m mad! Just who do you think I’m watching my weight for in the first place?!

It was harder to pilot the buggy without the VR controls, but the machine was also lighter without them. It was too soon to give up, and there was a fire burning in Clan’s eyes.

By the middle of the fourth lap, the haniwas had caught up to Alunaya’s Prominence Kaiser. The data they’d accumulated throughout the race gave them a big advantage—but they were still stuck behind the flashy red tractor. The reason? They were driving using the collected data as reference.

“Hahaha, I doubt even you two have data on competing against me! This is as far as you go, Racing Brothers!” Alunaya boasted as his miniature illusion bared its fangs in the driver’s seat.

On a course without any variables, the haniwas could perfect their driving just by analyzing the track. In a showdown with Alunaya, however, they had to maneuver in response to the way he moved. He prevented them from relying entirely on their data and projections. If the race went on long enough, they would be able to gather enough data on him to account for that too—but this five-lap race would be over long before then.

“We aren’t finished yet, ho! We still have Ane-san’s secret plan, ho!”

“Right-ho! Let’s do it! Ho!”

“Do your worst, Racing Brothers Hani and Ho!”

“Here we go-ho!”

“Prepare yourself, ho!”

“Special Technique: Two Hearts as One!” the haniwas shouted in unison.

Unable to overtake Alunaya, the haniwas resorted to their trump card: using their synchronization mode to drive their cars together. This way, they could perfectly share their senses, information, and more. They were truly as one and worked in tandem to get ahead of Alunaya.

“They changed the way they’re driving?!” The Fire Dragon Emperor was taken aback. “What is this coordinated movement?!”

“This is the power of our bonds, ho!”

“We are of one mind, ho!”

“I see how it is!”

Now that he knew what he was up against, Alunaya immediately began devising a countermeasure. Both haniwas appeared to make a move at the same time—but one of them was really only a decoy to give the other an advantage. With their perfect coordination, their attack patterns were complex and hard to predict. Just keeping abreast of them was the best Alunaya could do.

“Argh, I can’t keep this up forever!” he roared. “I’ll have to fight back!”

The race was in its fifth and final lap, but Alunaya sensed that he’d be overtaken before long, so he decided to take a gamble. He was going to tackle Karama’s Mach Falcon. He would take some damage in the process, but if he was lucky, he’d knock one of his opponents out of the race. Prepared for the risk, Alunaya steered to run Karama off the course.

“Ho?!”

“Karama!”

“How do you like that, haniwas?!”

“Ho, ho! Ho, oh, ho!”

“Hang in there, ho! If you can shake him off, we can win this, ho!”

Alunaya had rammed Karama during a corner, using the centrifugal force of the turn plus Prominence Kaiser’s own weight to push with all his might. It was simply too much for the haniwa’s tiny car to handle.

“Hooooo nooooo!”

“Brother!”

Unable to bear it, Karama’s Mach Falcon was thrown from the track.

“Leave the rest to me, ho!”

Fortunately, Mach Falcon wasn’t damaged. But unfortunately, it would be impossible for Karama to catch back up with less than half a lap to go. This would be the end of the race for him.

“I will avenge you, ho!”

Still, not all hope was lost for the haniwas. While Alunaya was so focused on Karama, Korama had pulled ahead.

“But with only one of you, your power has been halved!” Alunaya taunted. “Is your Thunder Tornado alone enough to stop my Kaiser?!”

“Bring it, ho! I will—”

Just as a fierce clash was beginning anew between them, a jeep and buggy flew past them. During their three-way fight, Koutarou and Clan had caught up to the front of the pack.

“Big Brother?!”

“Oh nooo!”

At the worst possible time, Korama and Alunaya had both been overtaken. They sped after Koutarou and Clan, but there was no chance of catching up now that they were approaching the final turn and the home stretch.

I won’t be able to take the inside!

Koutarou’s inability to take a corner at full speed was a big handicap. He wanted to stay on the inside to keep Clan from getting ahead, but he didn’t think he could do it. However...

“Ha! I got it!”

Perhaps due to a miscalculation, Clan ended up swinging wide again and taking the outside. With the path ahead wide open now, Koutarou was confident he could hug the turn and take the lead. At least, he was until he felt something soft press against his cheek.

“Huh?”

Distracted at a critical moment, Koutarou botched the turn and flipped his jeep. When he did, Clan’s buggy rounded the corner with ease and shot toward the finish line. Korama and Alunaya followed after her but were unable to catch up.

“Goaaaaal! Glasses wins!”

In the end, Clan stole the victory. Alunaya took second and Korama third. Koutarou and Karama both retired after their crashes.

“Ohohohoho, I win!”

“You just...”

“I only used the same trick you did. Do you have something to say about that?”

“No, not really... That’s not really what I meant...”

Koutarou gave Clan a bewildered look. In contrast, Clan was wearing an emotional smile. He found it so endearing that he couldn’t bring himself to complain.

Though Clan was declared the victor, there were several people who didn’t want that to be the end of things—namely the losers and the three spectators.

“I came in second? Me?! The emperor that rules over creation?! I will not accept this, Blue Knight! I demand a rematch!”

“Our plan was perfect, ho! We just need to improve our individual abilities, ho!”

“There’s only one way to do that, ho! We must train, ho! Also, let’s ask Ane-san for a new strategy, ho!”

Alunaya and the haniwas weren’t satisfied with their defeat. They wanted to hone their skills and try again with another race.

“What a truly amusing sport! Let me join next time too! In fact, I won’t forgive you if you don’t!” demanded Theia.

“I wanna race too!” chimed in Sanae. “I’m gonna make a cute car!”

“Karama, Korama,” called Kiriha. “How about the three of us make a team?”

Theia’s sense of competition had flared up watching the race. Sanae just wanted to have fun. And Kiriha would join in to stir things up even more. Though their reasons differed, they were all equally motivated.

“That sounds good, ho!”

“Ane-san’s got the right idea!”

“In that case, I shall bring Shizuka next time!”

“Hey, you guys are being unfair again!”

“Veltlion, you of all people are going to say that...?”

This bitter defeat was only the beginning of their countless fierce battles with their friends and rivals to follow. For Racing Brothers Hani & Ho and the fastest Elder Dragon Driver Alunaya, the race was just getting started.