A motorcycle roared through the nighttime streets. Normally, someone with zero experience wouldn't be able to handle a heavy bike; one wrong move and you'd be slamming straight into a wall.
But in this virtual world, an auto-assist feature handled the heavy lifting. Thanks to that, even a total novice like me could push past 100 km/h without breaking a sweat. The wind, which should have been a punishing blast at these speeds, was dialed down to a gentle breeze that let me keep my eyes open. I didn't even feel the lack of a helmet.
The reason helmets hadn't been implemented was likely because some races had horns or body types that weren't human. Besides, since the simulation was designed for total safety, a helmet was technically redundant anyway.
Regardless, I had a clean start and was smoothly gaining speed. Alice’s mini-buggy zipped along just ahead of me. I doubted those tiny tires could actually handle triple-digit speeds, but since it was a game, I chose not to overthink it.
The NPCs were also keeping up well—as expected, they were right on our tails—wait, huh? What on earth is that?
"Alice! Alice!!"
Shocked by what I was seeing, I reflexively called out to Alice, but despite the wind being weak, my voice couldn't reach her over the roar of the engines.
"What is it?"
"Whoa!? What’s this!?"
Just as I thought I'd been ignored, a small monitor suddenly flickered into existence to my front-left, showing Alice’s face.
"If you long-press the player's name in the menu screen, you can open a private channel. By the way, while the private channel is active, only the players involved can hear each other."
"I don't know how many times I've said this today, but this is seriously impressive."
A high-performance game with a built-in private chat system—the tactile feedback from the bike felt incredibly real, and the scenery was stunning. I had the feeling that once this was finished, I’d end up spending all my time here.
"...Wait, that’s not what I wanted to say! Alice! Look at that... the Red Gorilla Mark II... it’s 'running'!"
"Eh? Of course it is. It’s a gorilla, so it moves on all fours."
"...U-Uh, yeah... I guess so..."
Alice sounded so casual about it that I found myself at a loss for words. I glanced in my mirror and saw a mechanical red gorilla with an NPC perched on its back, closing in on us in a four-legged gallop. It was an utterly surreal sight.
Well, whatever. I needed to focus on the race. I forced myself to accept that the Red Gorilla Mark II was just 'that kind of machine' and opened the throttle to chase after Alice.
Even though it was modeled after the Metropolitan Expressway, this was strictly a race course. According to the map on my front-right, Alice had carefully included elevation changes and sharp curves to keep things exciting. I wanted to catch her at one of those technical sections, but she was the creator—and she was good.
Alice’s mini-buggy was a light machine capable of incredibly tight turns. While my bike had the higher top speed, she used her superior technique to hug the inside line, making it hard to find an opening. I manipulated the machine while checking the map, searching for the perfect spot to turn the tables.
Then, I noticed three red circles sitting below the speedometer. What were these? They weren't fuel gauges, and they weren't traffic lights.
"Alice, what are these red circles under the speedometer?"
"Oh, I forgot to mention those. They're the switches for Special Driving."
"Special Driving?"
"Yes. By pressing one, the machine will automatically perform a unique maneuver. On your Baby Castella No. 96, the Special Driving is simple acceleration. For five seconds, the speed limiter is removed, and you enter a state of Super Acceleration. You'll reach incredible speeds, but you can only use it three times per race. Use them wisely."
I see, so it even had special moves. That definitely appealed to my sense of adventure. But seriously... BC-96 really did stand for Baby Castella. I’d suspected it for a while, but Kuro’s naming sense was...
"Naturally, my Super-Transcendental Alice-chan Special Buggy has a special move too!"
"..."
Well, at least Kuro was more sensible than Alice.
"...Wait? I feel like I just received a telepathic insult."
"It’s your imagination."
"If you say so. Anyway, the Special Driving on my machine builds up charges based on the distance I travel. When I activate it, the buggy automatically hugs the inner curb at full speed without needing to decelerate."
"...I see."
So that drift she’d performed earlier—the one that looked like she was being sucked into the curve—had been her using that move. It was a formidable weapon if timed correctly.
I stared at the map, solidifying my strategy. The BC-96’s move had limited uses, but five seconds of raw, unbridled speed was a massive advantage. However, it was only truly effective on straightaways. Considering that, my point of attack would be...
I’d save one charge for the final long straight. That left two. Alright, here goes.
With my plan set, I looked ahead to the first showdown: a massive uphill slope. A steep climb and descent on a highway-style track was the kind of thing only a game could pull off. This was where I’d catch her.
Alice had a decent lead. By the time I reached the foot of the hill, she was already halfway to the top. I slammed the trigger for the BC-96's special move. The speedometer needle buried itself as the machine lunged forward with supernatural force. I felt the scenery blast away behind me as I stared intently at the track ahead.
This was the kind of reckless driving I could never do in reality. It was only possible because I was in a virtual world where I couldn't get hurt. The BC-96 crest the hill effortlessly just as Alice began her descent, and then—
"Wha—!? Y-You jumped!?"
Maintaining my momentum, I soared right over the descent. Whoa, okay, this is terrifying!
"Uwooooohhh!"
Even knowing I was safe, my heart went cold as the machine plummeted through the air. But this was a world designed for safety. Despite the massive leap, the bike landed with almost no shock and immediately kept racing.
"What a reckless move... Damn it, I can't believe I got overtaken by a beginner like Kaito-san..."
Good, this gave me a significant lead. My top speed was already higher than Alice's buggy. If I could just hold this advantage, I’d win!
Dear Mother, Father—I’m in the middle of a heated race with Alice. She had the lead early on, but I managed to overtake her in the mid-game. Still, Alice isn't the type to take a loss lying down. The real race was only just beginning.
~ Highlight of the Day ~
Kaito: "This is my Rule-breaking Local Driving!" Alice: "W-Whaaaat!?"
~ Next Episode Preview ~
Kaito: "Impossible! There’s no way you can turn at that speed! You’ll crash into the wall!" Alice: "...I can turn. My Super-Transcendental Alice-chan Special Buggy is telling me it can turn!"
Kaito: "Once we pass this point, there are almost no spots left to make a move. I have to go for it. The battle will be decided at the next... 5-consecutive Hairpin Curves!" Alice: "I have the advantage in the corners. How will Kaito-san attack? The inside? The outside? ...Wait!? He’s going for the outside!?" Serious-senpai: "...This isn't that kind of story, okay?! This is an otherworld! An otherworld fantasy!"