Matsuo Race

Matsuo Race

────The time for the decisive battle has come...

A battle I cannot afford to lose is being fought here.

What awaits the loser? Physical death? Economic injury?

No. This is a decisive battle with our hearts... the dignity of our very spirits... on the line...!

"Looks like Otaku-kun's eyes are burning."

"What incredible enthusiasm."

"Hey. I was only told we were going to play a game."

The location was Café 'Alf'... or, more precisely, the back.

It was the Inoue family's living room, which could be entered from the café or by going around to the rear.

I had suspected as much, but it seemed Riko-senpai's family was fairly well-off.

She had said before that her parents were often away from home, but I wondered if that had anything to do with it.

It was not quite as large as the house Takanashi-san had received from the self-proclaimed Demiurge, but it was still a sizable two-story home. The living room was large enough for not just four people but—well, saying twice that many would be an exaggeration. Even so, six or seven people could relax comfortably there.

"And now, it's time for a Chiki-Chiki game tournament! Cosplay for last place included! Maybe there'll even be a wardrobe malfunction?"

"...!"

"Huh? ...Huh??"

Riko-senpai was making an absurdly smug, idiotic declaration, Takanashi-san was silently clenching her fist, and Rosso-san was staring at the two of them in bewilderment.

The twenty-something chuunibyou being the calming presence was a situation that could only be called chaos. This was definitely not normal...

"The rules are simple. The four of us will play 'Matsuo Race' three times, and whoever comes in last each time has to cosplay! The person who comes in first decides what the cosplay will be, but basically, it'll be clothes from Miyucchi's house!"

"W-wait, from the house that had nothing but outfits like those worn by erotic video streamers!?"

Rosso-san. What exactly did you see at Takanashi-san's house? Seriously.

More than curiosity, I felt exasperated. What on earth had that self-proclaimed Demiurge been doing?

An enigmatic being that had gone silent after making a one-sided broadcast on the 'Day of Regression' appeared in my mind, sticking its tongue out and saying, 'Tehe☆.'

"Oh, NPCs will be participating too, but we'll judge the results based on the rankings excluding them."

"Are you insane!? T-that... bringing a boy into something like this... That's not appropriate! For educational reasons!"

"Rosso-san... I knew you would say that."

"Now, now, now! Think about it the other way around. There are three girls and one guy, right? There's no way anything could go wrong. Even if Otaku-kun's passions ran wild, the three of us, including Rosson, could restrain him easily."

"H-however..."

"Don't lose, Rosso-san! Men are beasts! I'm sure he'll do something or other with those hands of his! He'll use underhanded tactics too—he's bound to be a vile scoundrel!"

"Are you really the one saying that? Hey, are you sure you have the right to say that?"

Damn it! With them colluding, I'm the one most likely to be forced into some weird outfit!

I was desperate too. At this rate, they'd turn me into a miniskirt Santa or an animal-eared maid...!

"Besides, you said 'if' something happened, but do you really think Otaku-kun would do something that awful to a girl? He's a bit of a coward, sure, but he's also a good guy. We're friends and comrades, so let's trust him."

"Hm..."

"Don't trust him! You mustn't trust him, Rosso-san! You're a beautiful woman. You need to be much more wary of the male species! Don't let your guard down! It's a trap!"

"Hey, isn't this getting strange? You're acting a little odd, you know?"

"Riko-senpai and Takanashi-san are trying to make me wear something weird!"

"Oh..."

Rosso-san's face showed that she had realized everything.

Thank goodness. It seemed she understood.

For all her quirks, she was a sensible person. She was just... just? Just a little too deep in her chuunibyou phase, but she was still a good adult woman.

I had won this battle!

"Come on, Rosso-san! Make them stop the forfeits right now, and let's have a nice, wholesome game tournament!"

"I'm sorry, young oni. I side with Takanashi Miyu and Inoue Riko."

"Wha... what!?"

I could not believe it. I had just been betrayed by someone I trusted and believed in, and I could not accept that reality.

I hugged myself and quietly backed away from Rosso-san.

"Huh...? Um, don't tell me you've been looking at me with those kinds of eyes...? You beast...?"

"N-no!"

"Rosson... I'm kind of creeped out."

"You have no right to say that! Seriously!"

"More importantly, let's begin. I've finished optimizing my strategy in my head."

"What have you been doing all this time while sitting there silently!?"

Her blond hair flying wildly, Rosso-san roared with her face red all the way to her ears.

"I-I mean... I always wanted to try having a match with friends where we put a forfeit on the line..."

"Rosso-san..."

"Rosson..."

"Shortcuts on dirt... walls and rails... item timing... On that course, the rhythm for wall-running would be..."

I was starting to feel a little touched. Well, one of them was watching videos of professional players on her smartphone, but still.

I smiled at the endearingly earnest dhampir.

"...Couldn't you do all that even if the forfeit wasn't cosplay?"

"Come on! To make Rosson's wish come true, it's time for battle!"

"Wait! Just a little longer! I can almost persuade this adorable life-form! I'll give you 150 yen, so wait!"

"Nope, I'm pressing it. Start the game!"

"Bwooooooo!"

"Takanashi-san!? Why are you using an imaginary conch shell!?"

"It's a horn."

"Sure. Either one works!"

"Hey, Rosson. Miyucchi's a beginner, so why don't we support her?"

"Hmm... I can guess your ulterior motive, but perhaps that too is youth...?"

"There is no way that kind of youth is acceptable! Come back, Rosso-san! Don't fall into darkness!"

"Darkness... yes, that is precisely my domain! My homeland!"

"Damn it, that had the opposite effect!"

"All four of you~?"

Master poked her head into the living room with a smile, wearing an apron.

She was holding a frying pan.

"Let's be a little quieter, okay?"

"Yes."

All four of us sat in seiza. There was no other option.

Come to think of it, Takanashi-san could sit in seiza. That surprised me a little.

"If you play nicely, I'll bring you some snacks and juice later, okay?"

"Yes. Thank you very much."

"All right, have fun."

"Yes. Sorry for causing you trouble."

"Oh, Grandma. I'm borrowing your game console for a bit."

"Go ahead. Be nice to one another, okay? Riko."

"Sure thing."

With a bang, the door closed, and everyone began moving again.

Riko-senpai brought out her own game console and Master's. It was the kind with a central game screen and detachable pieces on either side that became controllers.

What? You think it looks exactly like an 'S●itch'? Sorry, English is a little beyond me, so I have no idea what you're talking about.

"Master, you have one of these? Honestly, that's surprising."

"I got her into it. She occasionally plays city-building games and things like that."

"Huh."

"Now, the screens... There we go."

The two screens that came with the game consoles, Riko-senpai's laptop, and the television in the living room were all linked together. Each of us would be playing on a separate screen.

"All right, Otaku-kun. Since it's effectively three against one, I'll show you a little mercy and let you play on the biggest screen."

"I'm not falling for that. You're planning to peek at our screen during the game, aren't you?"

I smiled back at Riko-senpai as she placed a cushion in front of the television.

There is something about smiling being inherently aggressive, blah blah blah.

"But... I'll take the bait."

"Oh... Feeling confident?"

"I got a little irritated, so... I'll be going all out too."

Rosso-san had said that, but I had not had many experiences of doing something with friends while putting a forfeit on the line either.

My friends in middle school, myself included, were all indoorsy. We played games often, but mostly solo titles. We would discuss our impressions of the stories, battles, and characters in those games.

So it would be a lie to say I had never longed for something like this.

That was why I did have something to get fired up about. More importantly────

"The only people allowed to force someone else into cosplay are those prepared to cosplay themselves. I'll teach you two that."

"Heh... You talk big, Otaku-kun...!"

"No problem. I will absolutely surpass you...!"

"...Wait. Does that mean I have a pretty serious risk here too?"

And so, the game began.

As expected, everyone was riding a fully customized ox cart. The driver was Matsuo, the protagonist of the game and the character currently considered to have the best performance. The only difference between our carts was the color of their roofs.

Eight NPCs joined the four of us. Characters modeled after Abe no Seimei and Shuten-doji were each riding their own ox carts.

While I had claimed the spot in front of the television, the other three were sitting together on the living-room sofa.

"All right, Miyucchi. This game has baskets along the course containing items that help you advance in the race. Keep an eye out for them."

"Dirt... Normally, the course contains gravel paths that are difficult to pass through, but you can use acceleration items to force your way through and even take shortcuts. However, beginners should not aim for them too aggressively. Play it safe."

"Understood. I look forward to your guidance."

"Okey-dokey!"

"Heh... I shall lend you my aid. Consider me an ally worth ten thousand reinforcements."

...Yeah. I felt a little left out.

'5!'

A countdown appeared on the screen.

But perhaps three against one was for the best.

'3!'

Because this way, it would be 'just right.'

'1!'

I would not let them call it unfair.

'GO!'

"Ah."

At the edge of the screen, Takanashi-san had already botched her starting dash.

"It's okay, Miyucchi! In this game, an early mistake can easily be overturned with later items!"

"Yes!"

"Here comes the first curve. Turn, damn it!"

I glanced back at the unusually impassioned voice coming from behind me.

Riko-senpai was leaning her entire body to one side, resting her head on Rosso-san's shoulder.

"Hey, what the heck was that!?"

"Sorry. I'm actually from a family where your body tilts along with the controller."

"It depends on your bloodline!?"

"Totally. Grandma does it too."

While the girls carried on that exchange, I raced alone at the front.

"...Wait, isn't Otaku-kun fast?"

"Hm. Could it be that you have played this game extensively?"

"Not that much. My rating is pretty low."

I owned a game console, but I was hardly a dedicated player. I had my studies, my work as an adventurer, scroll creation, and sword practice. There were other games I wanted to play and anime I wanted to watch, too.

I was a far cry from the hardcore players I saw online who seemed to devote everything to 'Matsuo Race.'

But I was quite strong. Not because of technique or game knowledge. It was something simpler and more unreasonable—something some people might curse as cheating.

──The moment I entered the dirt, Riko-senpai threw the obstruction item 'Cow Dung' at me. Dodging was impossible. I recovered with an acceleration item.

──Rosso-san overtook me using a shortcut, bringing her position right in front of me. I had no guard item. The instant she landed, I body-checked her off the course.

──Takanashi-san threw 'Fire Cow Dung' at me. Its trajectory was precise. I swayed my cart from side to side, using an NPC as a shield. Then I transitioned to wall-running. That item had a narrow angle of elevation.

...What? You think the gameplay makes it look exactly like Ma●io Kart? No, no, I know absolutely nothing about any game featuring a mustached man who looks at home with mushrooms and pipes.

"W-wait, no way! Otaku-kun!"

"Ha ha ha. What is it, Riko-senpai?"

"You... You're 'seeing' it, aren't you!?"

"Ha ha ha. I have no idea what you're talking about."

'Ability────Foresight Magic Eye'

On the screen, the ox cart I controlled dodged cow dung flying in on a drift. The moment someone used an obstruction item called 'Thunder Drum,' which brought lightning down on every character, I stopped in front of a basket containing an item.

While every other character dropped the items they had been carrying, I picked up a new one.

By playing with the future visible to me, I maintained a position in second place or higher.

"C-cheatinggg!?"

"Ha ha ha. Surely you jest."

I brushed off Riko-senpai's accusation.

After setting up a three-on-one situation, she could hardly make excuses like that.

This ability normally activated only in response to a 'crisis involving me or an ally,' but if I poured in a little extra mana, it would react to this kind of 'crisis' too.

Sensing the approach of 'Super Cow Dung,' which targeted only first place, I deliberately let Rosso-san overtake me. Immediately afterward, I passed her cow cart, now covered in dung, and crossed the finish line.

Riko-senpai finished last, even with the NPCs included.

Why was she last despite Takanashi-san being a beginner? Well, I had read the route she would take and placed trap cow dung along it.

"I-it can't be... How could this happen!? How could this possibly happen!?"

"Now then, Riko-senpai. Takanashi-san. Rosso-san."

I turned toward the three of them with a broad smile.

"Shall we begin the second round?"

...Well.

To be honest, I felt bad about forcing them to cosplay. If they said, 'Sorry! Let's cancel the forfeit after all!' I would be willing to call the whole thing off right now.

"I'll do it! I'll absolutely make you wear sexy cosplay!"

"I never thought it would be easy from the start. I will win, no matter what...!"

"Sniff... I see... So this is youth... Unlike my own leaden youth!"

Apparently, they were still highly motivated. Well, one of them seemed to be getting emotionally overwhelmed.

And so, the next race began.