Wind roared and swirled in a violent vortex, pulling in surrounding objects as it manifested into a massive tornado. It was appropriately named—the rising gale looked exactly like a dragon ascending to the heavens.
"Guh..."
It was a terrifying attack. I was holding my ground for now, but I was at my limit. "Absolute desperation" was the only way to describe the situation, yet it was precisely because I was cornered that I could see a path to victory.
In battle, knowing when to strike and when to retreat is vital. And right now... it was time to strike!
"Hahaha! This is the end, Kaito-san! I’ll give you credit for trying so hard, but... Howe~ver! To beat me, you’re still a hundred years too—"
"Are you sure about that?"
"Huh?"
"An eye for an eye. If you’re coming at me with a tornado, then I’ll settle this with one of my own!"
I poured my will into those words. As if in response, my magic power transformed into wind, manifesting a second tornado on the field.
Watching the two wind dragons clash, Alice shrieked in genuine shock.
"What?! You... you’re telling me you mastered my own technique in this short amount of time?! And what's more... that’s a counter-rotation?!"
"That’s right! But this clash isn't equal. There’s a massive gap between us!"
"A gap? Wait—! Oh no, my magic power is—!"
"You relied on those flashy performances too much. Take this!"
"No way! My Alice-chan’s Delicious Spin Special is—!"
My tornado won the struggle. Alice’s Magic Top was sent flying far out of the ring.
"Yes! I won!"
"Ugh, g-gununu... To think Alice-chan would be defeated so easily by a beginner like Kaito-san. Honestly, I am super frustrated."
"Ahaha, I’m not just a punching bag, you know. But man... these Magic Tops are incredibly fun!"
"Right? They're one of Alice-chan’s finest creations!"
After leaving the VR attraction, Alice and I had moved on to this game she had designed. As the name suggested, it was based on Japanese spinning tops, but the mechanics were completely different.
For starters, you didn't need to wind a string. You simply threw the top like a frisbee, and the magic power stored inside would trigger, sending it into a high-speed spin. Furthermore, by holding the accompanying magic crystal and visualizing your commands, you could control the top's movements—to a certain extent, at least.
The tops themselves were made with magic crystals, allowing them to automatically convert stored power into special moves, like the flaming tackle or the tornado Alice had used earlier.
"What’s great is that since the magic capacity of the tops is fixed, someone like me can compete on equal footing even with an extreme difference in magic power like the one between us," I noted.
"Exactly. I put a lot of thought into that. I even intentionally delayed the response time so that people with superhuman reflexes wouldn't have an unfair advantage."
"I bet these would be a massive hit if you put them on the market."
"Haha, well, the materials are still quite expensive, so it’ll be a while before they’re for sale. They’ll definitely be finished long before the VR project is, though."
Honestly, I had underestimated Alice’s ability to produce a festival. First the VR, and now these Magic Tops—every attraction was genuinely enjoyable, and I found myself getting completely swept up in the fun.
I couldn't wait to see what was next.
"All right, let’s change things up and head to a physical experience attraction!"
"Physical experience?"
"Yes! The title is: 'Let's Experience the Prowess of a Peerage-Class High-Ranking Demon!' This one is also packed with my latest technology."
"I have to admit, I'm really looking forward to it."
Thanks to the attractions so far, my expectations were through the roof. Unable to contain my excitement, I hurried after Alice to the next site.
It was a large outdoor area featuring a small, rocky crag and what looked like a sprinting track. As soon as we arrived, Alice led me to the foot of the ten-meter-high crag and handed me a small ball.
"Okay, Kaito-san. Try throwing this ball at that rocky hill over there."
"Eh? Oh, okay."
The distance was significant. With my arm strength, I doubted I could even reach it. Still, I wound up and threw the ball with everything I had.
The moment it left my hand, the ball streaked forward like a bolt of lightning. It slammed into the crag with a deafening crack, shattering the entire rock face into rubble.
"Wha... What just happened? I just threw it normally..."
"Fufufu. That is the power of a peerage-class demon!"
"How is that even possible?"
"Well, the secret is actually in the ball. When thrown, it accelerates rapidly and generates a powerful shockwave upon impact. Of course, the safety measures are perfect; it’s enchanted so that it won't hit any living creatures."
I see. It wasn't that I had thrown a miraculous pitch; rather, the ball itself had accelerated. It was a clever and entertaining trick.
"Kaito-san! Next is this!"
"That’s huge!"
Alice pulled out a steel block that was roughly four meters wide. I had no idea what she wanted me to do with it.
"Go ahead, Kaito-san. Punch it as hard as you can."
"Wait, wait, no way! I'll break my hand!"
"It’s fine! Just trust me. Go on!"
"Ugh... Fine."
Assuming there was another trick involved, I took Alice at her word and threw a full-force punch at the iron block. I felt only the faint resistance of punching through gelatin before my fist pulverized the metal into fragments.
"Oh... Ohhh!"
"This steel block is designed to become extremely soft the moment it makes contact with a living being. It also regenerates after a set amount of time. So, how does it feel to experience peerage-class punching power?"
"It’s... incredible."
It was an indescribable rush. For a moment, it felt as though I had actually become a superhuman. Within the bounds of this attraction, even someone like me, with physical abilities that were average at best, could feel the strength of a high-ranking demon.
My excitement peaked. Every boy has dreamed of having superpowers at least once. Even if it was just a simulation, it was incredibly fun.
"I have other things too, like a system that makes the scenery fly by to simulate super-speed, or performance tools that let you fire off Great Magic."
"I definitely want to try those. Especially the magic."
"Fufufu, then let's go through them in order!"
Dear Mother, Father—
Alice’s stock has skyrocketed in my mind over the last few hours. I used to think she only made weird things like kigurumi, but to see her create such wonderful attractions... how should I put it?
I feel like I’m falling for her all over again.
Today's Highlight (Lie)
Mystery Entity: "Cross the line."
Serious-senpai: "...What?"
Mystery Entity: "Cross the foul line! The sword is a wing!"
Serious-senpai: "I told you to stop with the ancient references!"
Serious-senpai: "I see, everyone is having a grand old time... So? Where’s the attraction where you can experience Seriousness?"
Mystery Entity: "There isn't one."
Serious-senpai: "Why not?! That should be the main event! I'd be the first in line!"
Mystery Entity: "Wait, you're okay with it being a simulation? Your standards are getting lower by the day, aren't they, Serious-senpai?"
Serious-senpai: "T-T-T-That’s not true!"