The second round of my best-of-three match with Megiddo-san was an Othello duel. The game had been a back-and-forth struggle—or at least, that’s what I wanted to believe. But as the match reached its final stages, the board was a sea of solid red. I didn't even have a place left to put a piece.
Apparently, I’d lost. I really don't know why I’m so terrible at these kinds of board games. I even lost to Alice at Shogi when she’d played with only a Lone King...
Even Alice had been at a loss for words back then. I remember her saying something like, "I-I don't even know how to hold back any more than this..."
N-No, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I have things I’m good at, too! Just because I’m bad at board games doesn't mean I’m hopeless. I’m incredibly good at Rubik's Cubes, for instance! My personal best is twelve seconds!
"And it’s over! The winner of the second round is the War King, Megiddo-san!"
"...That was a tragic battle," Fate-san commented.
"Yes," Alice added. "It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Megiddo-san look so conflicted about whether or not he should hold back in a fight."
Wait, really? Was I that bad? Bad enough to call it a "tragic battle"!?
"Kaito... Look, I’m sorry," Megiddo-san said.
"...Let's just move on to the third round."
"Yeah... Right."
The air was thick with awkwardness. Even Megiddo-san looked pained for my sake. I needed to hurry this along; I couldn't stand this atmosphere for another second.
"...Alright! Let’s shake it off! Round three! The final match!!"
"Right!"
"There’s the spirit, Kaito. Let’s get things ready!"
"Wait, what—!?"
Megiddo-san gave a fearless grin and snapped his fingers. With a sound like a localized earthquake, the arena’s scenery began to shift. Structures that looked like amusement park attractions rose one after another, forming a course that circled the vast arena.
Wait, hold on. Is this...
"The final round is an obstacle race! At the end of the day, a fight is all about the body!"
"..."
He’d picked the one thing I had absolutely zero chance of winning. Megiddo-san, what did you think you were doing, making a "slime" like me run a race?
"Don't worry. I’m not going to make you fight a battle you can't win. I’ll be setting a handicap."
"...A handicap?"
"Yeah! I’ll be competing with your exact physical stats. I won't use any movements your body isn't capable of, and I won't move any faster than you’re able to. Of course, since there’s a difference in our natural stamina, you’re allowed to use magic, while I’m not!"
"...I see."
That actually sounded like I might have a fighting chance. If Megiddo-san was capping his physical abilities to match mine, then our speed would be identical. Since he still had vastly superior technique and experience, I was being given the advantage of magic to balance things out.
"What about Physical Enhancement Magic?"
"I won't use it, but you can."
So I could even use enhancement magic. My skill with it was pretty mediocre—increasing my physical ability by maybe twenty percent at most—but it was still a massive advantage. It meant my top speed would technically be higher than his.
"For the record, Fate-san and I will be judging," Alice announced over the speakers. "The moment Megiddo-san performs a movement impossible for Kaito-san's physical stats, he loses. Are you okay with that?"
"Damn right!" Megiddo-san shouted.
The announcer and commentator were acting as the refs, but I didn't doubt Megiddo-san for a second. He wasn't the type to break a promise he’d made. The conditions were fair—honestly, they were arguably in my favor. I could even use Auto-pilot.
The real problem was that the course was long and complicated. I was worried about my stamina, but I’d been running with Hina-chan quite a bit lately. I was in much better shape than when I first arrived in this world.
I nodded to Megiddo-san to confirm I was ready, and we headed to the starting line.
Looking ahead from the start, I saw the first barrier. About a hundred meters down the track was a pool of water with stone platforms jutting out of it. It looked like a series of stepping stones. Beyond that, I saw a slope with a punishing incline. I couldn't see the entire course from here, but it looked like there were going to be a lot of ups and downs.
"Just so you know, I’m the one who designed the obstacles," Alice chirped.
Of course she was. The one person who would make them as annoying as possible was in charge. This was going to be rough if I didn't have a strategy... especially regarding Auto-pilot. It was a powerful spell that could maximize performance with minimal movement, but the timing was tricky. I didn't have the magic power to keep it active for the entire race, and since I had to pre-set the movements, it took time to prepare. I needed to save it for the most critical moments.
"The two heroes stand at the line! The curtain finally rises on the final battle! Fate-san, how do you see this match playing out?"
"Hmm. There are a lot of different obstacles, so it’ll come down to how they handle them. On paper, Kai-chan has the advantage, but the War King is in a different league when it comes to experience and adaptability. The key will be how Kai-chan uses his magic."
"Thank you for that insight. Now then, both racers ready? Let the countdown begin! Three, two, one, GO!"
At Alice’s signal, we both took off. With Physical Enhancement Magic active, my raw speed was higher. I reached the first obstacle—the stepping stones—before he did. The gaps between the stones weren't that wide. If I just slowed down a bit and hopped across...
Just as I was about to jump to the first stone, Megiddo-san caught up. He didn't slow down at all before leaping.
"Wait, what!?"
He vaulted onto the first stone, leaped to a distant platform, and then vaulted onto the next by planting his hands and flipping off of them in a single fluid motion. His movements were incredibly acrobatic, reminiscent of a rhythmic gymnast, as he tore through the first barrier.
Stunned by his agility, I reflexively looked toward Alice and the commentary booth. The signal stayed white. No foul.
Are you serious? That was legal? My body was actually capable of doing that!?
I realized then that even with identical stats, the person in control made all the difference. This was going to be a much harder fight than I thought.
Dear Mother, Father—The third round has finally begun. I’m racing Megiddo-san through an obstacle course. I have the advantage in terms of power, but it’s becoming clear that this is a far from simple fight.