"Bib Number 10 has finally seized the lead!"
Rubina’s car, Bib #10, dashed toward the front.
"I did it! There’s no one left in front of me!"
The lap times for Bib #10 remained in the low 36-second range—an impressive clip.
Following close behind her were Bibs #11 and #12.
"You did well, Rubina... but I have my own pride to maintain here."
Jin was enjoying himself. It was a rare pleasure to be able to give his absolute all like this.
"The lead group is back in a dead heat! What a spectacular sight!!" Luckhart shouted, his voice nearly drowned out by the roar of the frenzied crowd.
＊ ＊ ＊
Three cars—11, 12, and 9—pursued Bib #10. They were driving with everything they had, as if their lives depended on this final stretch.
Rubina’s handling is still rough, Jin noted. There’s plenty of room to overtake her.
Though she had shown remarkable growth during the competition, she was still a child. It was undeniable that her driving was prone to inconsistency. However, her "overhead monitor" compensated for that flaw. It allowed her to see exactly where she was on the track at a glance, making her racing lines much easier to manage.
The downside was the immense strain it placed on her.
"Ugh... my eyes are so tired!"
To drive at full speed, she had no choice but to look straight ahead. Then, she had to constantly flick her eyes toward the overhead monitor to correct her course. For Rubina, who was still unaccustomed to such a feat, the fatigue was becoming a serious burden.
Two laps remained. Rubina gritted her teeth, determined to protect her position. Given the timing, the lapped cars were far behind, and with so little time left, they weren't likely to catch up. Focusing on the path ahead should have been simple, but...
"Akyah!"
The underbelly of Rubina’s car scraped the ground.
Since the track was unpaved, by this late stage of the race, it had become riddled with gouges and deep ruts. Rubina’s car had a lower ground clearance than Jin’s or Lordtoss’s, making it particularly vulnerable to the uneven terrain.
The impact destabilized her chassis, causing her speed to drop slightly. Jin and Lordtoss were not the types to miss such a golden opportunity.
"Oh no, they got me..."
＊ ＊ ＊
"Oh! Bibs #11 and #12 have seized the moment! Taking advantage of Bib #10’s slight stumble, they've reclaimed the top spots!!"
"It’s incredible," Sion added. "It’s not so much tail-to-nose as it is side-by-side."
Rather than following one after the other, Bibs #11 and #12 were charging forward in a parallel sprint. Jin’s car took the outside, while Lordtoss’s car held the inside.
"Does Bib #12 have the advantage!?"
"I suppose so," Sion replied calmly. "Jin’s car is positioned to absorb all the lateral G-forces of the cornering."
"They're entering the corner together now! Oh!!"
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin decelerated sharply at the entrance of the corner, allowing Lordtoss’s car to pull ahead momentarily. Then, utilizing his reduced speed, Jin executed a sudden, sharp change of direction—his signature acute turn.
He accelerated instantly, causing the lines of the two cars to cross.
"Perfect. Now I’ve got the inside line."
"Impressive. As expected of you, Jin-sama."
But Lordtoss was a formidable opponent. He handled his car with expert precision, managing to exit the corner right alongside Jin.
"You're good, Lordtoss."
Jin grinned in the cockpit.
Technique over technology. Software over hardware. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed a duel like this.
One and a half laps to go.
"Let’s settle this on the straightaway!"
Jin decided to push the Beetle to full power—not the 80% he had been holding at, but 100%.
"Whoa—oops!"
He had confirmed the car's straight-line stability on level ground, but on a track this ravaged, his previous calculations didn't hold up. After the Beetle surged past Lordtoss’s Bib #12, it lost its balance. It bounced three times and skidded toward the very edge of the track.
However, because almost no cars had used that outer section, the ground there was relatively smooth. Jin managed to regain control.
Whew. I’m glad I equipped proper dampers.
A suspension system is essentially a collection of springs. Without dampers to dissipate the vibrations, the car would have kept hopping, and in the worst case, it might have flipped. Jin had learned the importance of dampers to his very bones during his carriage journey with Elsa and Reinhard four00 years ago.
Now, Jin realized just how much easier it was to drive on the far outside.
This is it...!
In theory, he knew the outside would be less damaged, but after fighting for control on the ruined center of the track, this smooth surface was a relief. It would allow him to give it everything he had.
90 percent!
Being his usual cautious self, Jin decided that a sudden jump back to 100% was too risky, so he settled for 90% power.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Bib #11 has gone off-track!...No, he’s held on! But his position has dropped to fourth! Bibs #10, 12, and 9 are pulling ahead!"
In the chaos of Jin and Lordtoss’s scuffle, Rubina’s Bib #10 had reclaimed the lead.
"Only one lap remains," Sion noted. "I wonder if even Jin can overcome a setback like this?...But then again."
The Jin I know wouldn't be bothered by a handicap or adversity of this level... right? Isn't that right, Jin?
Sion kept those thoughts to herself, merely whispering them in her heart. And, as if answering her silent plea, Jin’s car began to accelerate once more.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Alright, go, go, go!"
Bib #11 accelerated fiercely. Using the outermost lane—a section even Marikka had avoided—Jin showed incredible stability. He was faster than everyone else. Even while taking the long way around the corner, he was gaining ground.
"Kuh! As expected of Jin-sama!"
Rubina, seeing him through her overhead monitor, let her focus slip for a split second. Her acceleration at the corner exit was a fraction too aggressive.
"Ah, no!"
Her tires lost their grip and began to spin—a waste of power and a loss of precious time. Lordtoss’s Bib #12, pursuing from diagonally behind, skillfully avoided the flying gravel and overtook her.
"I’ve got the lead! Only the straight remains! I won't let anyone past me now!!"
Lordtoss was visible excited. And why wouldn't he be? He was on the verge of defeating the legendary Magi Craft Meister, Jin, in a competition—even if it was all in good fun. It would have been impossible not to feel a thrill.
But then.
"Wh-Whaaaaaa!?"
Jin, having already blown past Bib #9 on the far outside, saw the final straight and unleashed 100% power.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Ooooh! Jin-sama’s Bib #11 is fast, fast, fast!! This is the true power of the Magi Craft Meister!!!"
"As expected, Jin," Sion murmured.
Unleashing its full potential, the Beetle tore across the smooth outer lane. It blew past Rubina’s Bib #10, closed the gap on Lordtoss’s Bib #12, and surged ahead.
The goal line was right in front of them. The female golem lowered the checkered flag...
"GOAAAAAAAAL!!! The heated battle has finally come to an end! The winner is Jin-sama! Bib Number 11!!!!"
The stadium erupted into a deafening roar of cheers.