[Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting!]
An announcement boomed across the area, amplified by a Loudspeaker magi-device.
[The 155th Gonpetition will now begin!]
Cheers erupted from the spectator stands.
"The 155th? That’s impressive," Jin said, genuinely struck by the event's long history.
[Allow us to briefly explain the rules of the competition....A total of 51 golems are participating today. All of them are fully autonomous types.]
Jin and his companions listened intently as the announcer continued.
[The competitors will race along a designated 100-kilometer course, vying for the fastest time to the finish line. However!]
The announcer paused for a beat to build suspense.
[Participants will be at a disadvantage if they fail to secure the markers located at the five checkpoints along the route. Each marker adds ten points to a golem's final score!]
"I see."
Jin and the others hadn't heard the specifics of the scoring system until now.
[For reference, rank points are awarded as follows: 1st place receives 50 points, 2nd place 49, 3rd place 48... down to 1 point for 50th, and 0 points for 51st.]
"I get it," Jin murmured, calculating the totals in his head.
[To illustrate with an extreme example, a 1st place finisher with zero markers would score 50 points. Meanwhile, a 51st place finisher with all five markers would also score 50 points....In a more realistic scenario, a 5th place finisher with five markers would outscore a 1st place finisher who only collected four.]
In short, securing the markers was of paramount importance.
[Each marker is a magi-crystal of a different color specific to its checkpoint. Taking more than one from a single location—say, five from the first stop—is strictly forbidden and will result in immediate disqualification.]
"That makes sense," Jin nodded.
[The golems have each been outfitted with unique storage solutions to hold their markers.]
Looking down at the field, Jin could see the variety. Some golems had storage compartments in their abdomens, some were designed to "swallow" the crystals, and others wore pouches or belts.
[Once the golems reach the final third of the course, they will enter the battle-permitted area. In this zone, competitors are allowed to steal markers from one another!]
This was news to Jin's group, but they understood it was likely a rule intended to maximize the entertainment value for the crowd.
[We will bring you live footage of the race via magic eyes installed along the track, as well as specialized golems equipped with their own magic eyes.]
Another round of applause broke out.
[And now, the competing golems have finally gathered at the line!]
Below the VIP box was a large, leveled area resembling a sports field. Fifty-one golems were lined up in a single row. The start line also served as the finish line. Since they were golems, their bib numbers were painted directly onto their backs or torsos.
They look like a lineup of baseball players, Jin thought.
[...Bib #1 is Hugel, the creation of our Magic Technology Minister, Lord Reglei Gibbs von Besuvius! He is a top favorite to win!!]
"Oh, he looks quite well-balanced."
"He's very sleek," Rubina added.
Hugel stood about two meters tall with a lean, athletic build.
The announcer continued down the line, introducing Bib #2, #3, and #4, but none particularly caught Jin's interest until...
[...Bib #13 is Vicly, a golem entered by first-time participant Gasreg Mivas!]
"Oh, that one's interesting. Although..."
"He's certainly sturdy," noted Lordtoss.
"Very sturdy," Rubina agreed.
Standing 2.5 meters tall and possessing significant bulk, Vicly was the picture of a powerhouse. Even from a distance, the raw strength and the high quality of his components were obvious.
A few more golems passed without much comment, until the final entry.
[...And Bib #51, a special entry for this competition: Aaron, crafted by the Kingdom of Egerea's Royal Factory!]
"The Royal Factory was founded about four hundred years ago by Prince Ernest, who was the Third Prince at the time," Lordtoss whispered to Jin.
"So Ernest did it..."
Jin fondly recalled the young prince who had been so obsessed with golems. This golem, Aaron, also possessed a very well-proportioned, balanced frame.
"By the way, seated in the royal box as a state guest today is the current Honorary CEO of the Royal Factory, His Highness Ernest XVII."
Lordtoss explained that the Honorary CEO of the factory traditionally inherited the name Ernest.
When Jin looked toward the royal box, he saw that Ernest XVII appeared to be a boy of about fourteen. Realizing Jin was looking at him, the boy gave a small wave. Jin was struck by how much the youth resembled the original Ernest he had known.
However, what truly surprised Jin was the golem standing behind the boy.
Is that Lotte?
It was Lotte, the attendant golem whose face had been modeled after Beena, Rubina's ancestor.
She looks like she’s in great shape....It seems her current master is taking good care of her. That’s a relief.
Lotte’s exterior was polished to a mirror finish without a single scratch or spot of rust, and she was neatly dressed in her maid uniform. Seeing her so well-maintained warmed Jin’s heart.
[...And now, the competition is about to begin. Starting the countdown. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five...]
A hush fell over the entire venue.
[...Three, two...]
In the silence, Jin felt as if he could hear the sound of someone nearby swallowing nervously.
[...Zero! Start!]
The silence vanished instantly, replaced by a thunderous roar from the crowd. All fifty-one golems surged forward, the ground trembling under their collective weight.
[They’re off! Oh! In the chaos of the initial sprint, three... no, four have tripped! Two more have been caught in the tangle and gone down as well!]
As expected, the bunched-up pack at the start was a hazard. Seven golems had fallen and were already lagging behind. However, in a 100-kilometer race, a one-minute delay could easily be recovered.
Five other golems seemed to share this sentiment; they hadn't joined the initial mad dash, choosing instead to start at a steady, sustainable pace. The seven that had fallen eventually scrambled up and began chasing after them.
The magic screens switched views. A lead group of seven golems had already broken away. They were Bibs #1, #3, #13, #31, #40, #49, and #51.
[The lead group has reached the mountain path!]
The route led up the slopes of Mount Bakusa. It wasn't a straight climb but a series of winding switchbacks. Two checkpoints were located on the mountainside. The first was about ten kilometers in—a distance the golems, running at roughly thirty kilometers per hour, would reach in about twenty minutes.
"Oh, Aaron is fast, too."
Heavyweight golems were usually at a disadvantage on mountain trails due to their mass. In that regard, the more moderately built Hugel and Aaron were nimbly navigating the ascent.
[Bib #1 reaches the first checkpoint in the lead! He has secured the red marker! Following close behind is Bib #51! Coincidentally, the smallest and largest bib numbers are currently in first and second place!]
After them, Bibs #13, #49, #31, #3, and #40 secured their markers in that order. Thirteen markers remained at the station. Leaving the second pack behind, the seven leaders continued their sprint up the mountain.
"It wouldn't be very interesting if it were just a simple race like this, would it? I wonder if there's a catch somewhere," Jin mused.
"What do you mean, Jin-sama?" Rubina asked, having overheard him.
"Hmm? Oh, I just feel like if it stays like this, the leader will just pull away and that’ll be the end of it. I figured there might be something designed to force the competitors into a closer scramble."
"You have a point, Jin-san," Lordtoss added. "Take a look at this part of the map."
A map of the course had been provided in their box.
"Let's see..."
"Look here, the route between the fourth and fifth checkpoints."
"Ah, I see."
In that section, the path to the fifth checkpoint and the path leading away from it were identical. It was a "bottleneck" where the leaders and the trailing golems would be forced to cross paths. Furthermore, that section was inside the battle-permitted area.
"That definitely looks like a recipe for chaos."
It was the perfect place to ambush someone and steal a marker they had just obtained. Jin found himself agreeing with Lordtoss; there was almost certainly going to be a major upset at that turn.