(These two are specialized for underwater movement.)
While suppressing her presence as she closed in, Reiko observed and analyzed her opponents.
(Small frames, slender builds, webbed fins on their limbs.)
Both were of the same model.
(The protrusions on their forearms look like they have high offensive power.)
Closing the distance to about five meters, Reiko concealed herself.
The water in the vicinity was less than two meters deep, but the area was littered with rocks, providing plenty of places to hide.
(Arrow’s presence is drawing near.)
Watching from beneath the surface, she saw the leaders approaching. First came the shallow-draft boat piloted by Reinhard and Elsa, then the monohull belonging to that pompous man Valentino, and finally Marcia’s catamaran.
At that moment, the underwater golems made their move.
One headed for Elsa’s boat, while the other moved toward the Cygnus.
(I do not know what you intend to do, but I will not let you pass.)
Reiko felt no hesitation when facing other golems. Coiling her body like a spring, she kicked off a rock and shot through the water in an instant.
First, she grabbed the leg of the nearest golem and crushed it in a single, effortless squeeze.
(The interior is hollow? These cannot even be compared to the golems Father creates.)
She proceeded to crush the other leg as well. Leaving the now sluggish golem behind, Reiko moved toward the second one.
(Do you intend to rip the hull open with those protrusions?)
This golem was targeting the catamaran. However, Reiko’s hand caught the golem’s arm a fraction of a second before it could strike.
(These protrusions are made of steel. How soft.)
Reiko twisted the arm clean off. Water flooded into the hollow interior, and the golem’s movements slowed drastically.
(This is the end.)
A sluggish golem was no match for Reiko. After twisting off its remaining arm and both legs, she went back and treated the first golem the same way.
Since the control cores at their hearts were still intact, it would likely be possible to identify the culprit later.
(Now, I must report to Father.)
Reiko temporarily left the incapacitated golems where they were and headed for the small boat carrying Jin.
Behind her, the lead group passed by without a hint of trouble.
"Father, it is all finished."
Reiko poked her head out from the side of the boat and gave her report.
"I see. Good work. Now, how should we bring back these golems as evidence?"
"If it is only that much, I can simply drag them back," Reiko answered nonchalantly.
"I-I see. Well then, I'll leave it to you."
"Yes."
Reiko seemed happy to be relied upon by Jin, carrying out her task with a smile.
First, she took the twisted-off limbs and further wrenched, braided, and stretched them to create a makeshift, ugly rope. It was a display of sheer brute strength, performed without even utilizing Craft Magic.
She used the cord to lash the two golems together. She was performing a feat of incredible strength, yet she was oblivious to it, as she was only utilizing twenty percent of her output.
Perhaps they really were cut from the same cloth, this father and daughter.
Once the golems were secured to the stern, Reiko once again began swimming while towing the boat.
"What's with that little boat?"
"It's moving even though nobody's rowing!"
This time, a few people on the sightseeing boats noticed the oddity, but they couldn't make out Jin's face from that distance. In the end, Jin was never questioned about the incident.
＊ ＊ ＊
"The lead group has rounded the uninhabited island of Io! The order is numbers 3, 1, 35, and 28!"
The commentator continued his announcement with the same high energy as before.
"From here to the finish, the final stage is a high-speed section with no obstacles!" the expert added.
Out on the open sea, Number 35, Marcia, pulled away from the rear of Number 1 and took a diagonal course. This was to prevent Liche from blocking her path.
Then, she initiated a sudden spurt of speed.
"Oh! Number 35 is fast! Look at that water spray flying behind them!"
The Cygnus’s rapid speed was such that it didn't even care about the slight distance lost by taking the diagonal path.
"She passed her! She passed! Number 35, Team MJR, has finally overtaken Number 1!"
For the first time, Marcia moved ahead of Liche. It was Liche who grew flustered.
"Why?! I can't catch up! No way! How can that boat have such high performance?!"
As she was showered by the spray kicked up by Marcia’s catamaran, Liche was filled with disbelief. Even though she was overworking the golem made by Sir Valerio beyond its limits, the gap wouldn't close. It was like a nightmare.
Marcia accelerated further, closing in on Elsa in the top spot.
"She’s fast... She is every bit as good as Rai-nii expected."
Elsa felt the difference in the absolute performance of the boats and decided against trying to block her path.
"A fair fight."
Even if it wasn't against the rules, she felt that blocking wasn't appropriate for the climax of the finals.
Instead, she encouraged Lorelei and increased their speed beyond the limit. Lorelei rippled her supple body, kicking the water backward with all her might.
Meanwhile, on the Cygnus, the paddlewheels driven by Arrow’s pedaling pushed the hull forward, kicking up high plumes of white spray.
"Man, paddlewheels really are inefficient," Jin sighed as he watched from a distance.
While it looked flashy, the fact that water was spraying everywhere meant the paddlewheels were doing unnecessary work.
"In the end, ships really need screws."
Jin had yet to develop a power source suitable for driving a screw.
"Once I get back to the laboratory, I really want to focus my research on that area."
Jin swayed with the boat as he pondered the same thoughts he had had many times before.
"Do your best, Lorelei!"
Elsa was desperately controlling Lorelei, but Number 35 was steadily closing the gap.
Eventually...
"I-It is o-overwork, Master Elsa."
Lorelei reported that she had exceeded her limit. At this pace, she wouldn't last until the finish line.
With no other choice, Elsa reduced Lorelei's output. And finally, the Cygnus surged into the lead.
"Unbelievable speed! It has just overtaken the Blue Marine! Number 35 has taken the lead for the first time in this tournament!"
"Once this competition is over, Team MJR will be in high demand."
MJR had been unknown until now, but if they won, various wealthy people and nobles would likely reach out to them.
"Indeed. According to the documents on hand, the pilot, Miss Marcia, is also a shipwright. And while the magi craftman who built the golem, a Mr. Jin, is unknown, his name will surely spread like wildfire after this."
For the first time in the finals, the Cygnus was running at the front.
Though he could no longer see the situation with his own eyes, Jin smiled as he listened to the commentator's voice echoing over the water.
"Come on, Reiko. Let's hurry back too."
Since they were choosing a different route than Marcia and the others, it was undeniable that they were taking a somewhat long way around. However, they could hardly go overtaking the boats leading the race.
The small boat carrying Jin took a wide detour, heading for the port of Port Rock.
＊ ＊ ＊
At the finish line in Port Rock Central Port, one man was gnashing his teeth while watching the race unfold on the magic screen.
It was, of course, the pompous man, Valentino.
"Guh, that Liche! How pathetic! And Sir Valerio, too! After pouring all that money in, what is the meaning of this disaster?!"
After muttering his frustrations, his expression shifted into a dark smile.
"I have no choice now..."
Just as he whispered those words...
"Valentino, they will be finishing soon. Shall we go down to greet the competitors at the finish line?"
Someone pulled aside the curtain of the VIP section and spoke. There weren't many who could address Valentino so familiarly.
The one who had called out was Valentino’s superior, the lord of the Zaus Province in the southern Kingdom of Elias, Marchioness Dominic de Firenziano.
Valentino clicked his tongue inwardly, but without letting it show on his face, he followed the marchioness down from the VIP section and headed toward the finish line.