SLIME LEGION

Chapter 15: Explosive

VRRROOOOM!!

"...How do I slow this thing down?!"

The scenery was becoming one long blur.

"I’m even going the wrong damn way!"

I tugged the steering wheel left.

Nothing.

Right.

Still nothing.

"...Seriously?"

I stomped something.

The Raptor somehow went even faster.

"..."

Yeah.

That definitely wasn’t the brake.

I immediately stopped touching things.

There was no telling what I’d accidentally activate next.

"...Think, Finn."

I forced myself to calm down despite the wind trying its hardest to rip my face off.

I’d shoved way too much Ether into the damn thing.

That much was obvious.

No wonder it had taken off like a missile.

"...If I’m driving the opposite direction..."

I glanced ahead.

"...Then every other Raptor is heading straight for me."

Fantastic.

"I can’t steer..."

"I can’t slow down..."

"So..."

"What the hell do I do?"

My eyes wandered across the cockpit until they landed on a strange compartment beside the steering wheel.

There was a simple engraving above it.

A hand.

"...Hm?"

Was I supposed to... freēwēbηovel.c૦m

I shoved my right hand inside.

Nothing.

Then it clicked.

"...The cannons."

The referee had mentioned them before the race started.

"The output depends on Ether..."

"So if I dump a stupid amount into this..."

"...It should fire a stupidly strong shot."

Sound logic.

Probably.

The moment Ether flowed into the compartment, a translucent targeting screen spread across the windshield.

"...Woah."

A targeting reticle appeared in the center while one of the side panels of the Raptor unfolded, revealing what looked like a massive launcher.

As I moved my hand...

The reticle moved.

"So that’s how you aim."

...

Actually.

That’s kinda cool.

---

"Why is Number Nine going so fast?"

The audience was finally beginning to notice.

...

...

"...Just how much Ether did he pour into that thing?" the blonde girl with green eyes muttered.

"Way too much."

"He doesn’t even look like he’s trying to race."

"Obviously not."

Another noblewoman scoffed.

"It looks more like he’s trying to ruin the entire event."

"Embarrass himself, you mean."

"...Doesn’t this feel strange?"

The sudden question made several heads turn.

Liliana frowned as she watched the black Raptor streak across the track.

"...He’s acting differently."

"Far more... reckless."

"No."

She slowly shook her head.

"...Not reckless."

"...Willful."

The booth fell quiet.

Now that she’d said it...

They all noticed it.

This wasn’t the timid Lorel they remembered.

---

VVVVVMMMMM!!

"Oh my God!"

"Jerid’s about to run into him!"

A green Raptor rounded the corner at incredible speed.

"...Perfect."

I grinned.

"This’ll do."

I poured another surge of Ether into the launcher.

"...Please don’t explode."

The cannon answered.

BOOOOOOM!!

A gigantic beam tore across the track.

"...FUCK!"

The instant it fired I felt nearly a quarter of my strength disappear.

"...That’s expensive."

Jerid’s eyes widened.

"What the hell?!"

He violently drifted sideways.

The beam barely missed him...

But it didn’t stop.

It screamed past him and slammed directly into another black Raptor that had just entered the corner.

BOOOOM!!

The unfortunate racer was blasted clean into the air.

"...Oops."

Well...

Collateral damage happened.

No helping that.

The rush of speed mixed with the explosion sent a grin spreading across my face.

"...Okay."

"...This is actually kinda fun."

---

"BASTARD!!"

Jerid looked at his damaged Raptor.

One cannon...

Gone.

One booster...

Destroyed.

Winning?

That dream had just died.

His expression twisted.

"If I can’t win..."

"...Neither can you!"

He poured every remaining drop of Ether into his engine.

The Raptor screamed.

Then vanished in a violent sonic burst.

---

"Wait!"

"Jerid’s chasing Number Nine!"

"Is he trying to get revenge?"

The audience erupted.

"...Now this..."

"...This just got interesting."

---

BOOOOM!!

Another Raptor disappeared beneath an explosion.

"...Hahahaha!"

I couldn’t stop laughing.

"...This is awesome!"

Whoever invented this sport deserved a medal.

Or prison.

Probably both.

I dumped even more Ether into the engine.

The Raptor lurched forward again.

Faster.

Much faster.

"...Austin!!"

Several girls inside the VIP booth shot to their feet.

"...That damn Prince!"

Violet completely lost her composure.

"WAS THIS HIS PLAN FROM THE VERY START?!"

"IS HE TRYING TO KILL AUSTIN?!"

Even Helene’s normally calm eyes narrowed.

For the first time...

Concern crossed her face.

---

BOOOOM!!

Another explosion echoed across the stadium.

The audience was completely losing it.

"That guy’s insane!"

"Why aren’t the officials stopping him?!"

Most of the complaints came from the fangirls watching their favorite young nobles get blasted off the track one after another.

---

Then...

I saw him.

Number Six.

Austin.

"...There you are."

At almost the exact same moment...

Austin noticed me.

"...What?"

His instincts screamed.

Without hesitation, his hand plunged into the cannon compartment.

Mine was already there.

Two targeting reticles locked onto each other.

"...Well."

I grinned.

"Let’s see whose Ether’s bigger."

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The collision between both energy beams exploded with enough force to shake the entire stadium.