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Last Embryo Volume 1 Chapter 6 Part 5

Translator: DarkHeartedAlchemist

Editor: Weasalopes

*DOOOOOOOONGGGGGGGG!!!*

The sound of the gong being struck overlapped with the final whistle of the Spirit Train, signalling the start of the Gift Game. Thanks to her experience with horse-riding, Ayato managed to get a head start over Shirayuki-hime, making Hyutos dart forward like an arrow shot from a bow. The carriage it was pulling had no wheels attached to it, but it glided on top of the water instead. Before they started Ayato was worried that taking off might be somewhat difficult,but when she recalled that their carriage was made from the wood of the Great Tree, she smiled confidently.

(Looks like there are no problems with our movements so far. If this keeps up, it might be fine for me to go overboard for a bit.)

Ayato too firmer hold of the reins. Responding to her increasing fighting spirit, Hyutos the Hippocamp raised a loud neigh and continued to dash forward at full speed. The race has only just begun, but at least for now she was firmly in the lead. Inside the cabin, Homura and Suzuka looked over the map of the city so that they could plan the route they were going to take accordingly.

「What do you think, Bro? Wouldn’t it be the most beneficial for us to go through the city as much as possible?」

「No, that kind of thinking is way too simple-minded, Sis. While it’s true that there are more waterway than you could shake a stick at, we wouldn’t be able to use any of them that are too narrow for the carriage to pass through, not to mention that protecting ourselves if we were attacked would be potentially problematic.」

「I see. Then we will have to use the highroad here, just like we originally planned.」

Homura drew he route they were going to take with a small brush. Even though they have discussed their plan with Ayato before the Game started, but to tell you the truth, they weren’t able to properly survey the entire city to ascertain everything they wanted to check. So they had no choice but to start the race without the proper knowledge of the terrain. As a result, they had to grasp the characteristics of the city as they went though it, and plan the best possible route based on those observations alone.

「At the beginning it would be best for us to keep our distance from Shirayuki-hime, it doesn’t have to be all that far, but we have to make sure we’re not too close to her either. Then, after we finally pick a route, just sprint through it as far as you can. All we will have to worry about is how is she going to try to stop us and how to counteract her efforts…」

「Hehehe! I have already saw through your plans, foolish children! Did you really think it was going to be that easy?!!!」

Still underneath the surface of the water, Shirayuki-hime roared so loudly that the sound kept ringing inside their heads even when she was finished, distorting the water and sending forth violent waves. They wanted to keep her from getting in their way as much as possible, but it would seem that she was not going to let them have it that easily. With the way the carriage was thrashing about on the waves they have bumped their head against the walls and the ceiling more than once, but even despite that they managed to confirm how much time has passed since the beginning of the race.

「3 minutes since the start of the game! We should expect another similar attack after another 3 minutes!」

「Got it! When the next one comes our way I will be sure to counter it, so be prepared for that when it happens, Aya!」

Suzuka gave Ayato the heads-up from inside the carriage. But even if she wanted to, Ayato didn’t have the time to process that information properly. As the rider of the group, she had to make sure that their boat won’t turn over and sink, pay constant attention to the water’s flow, and most of all watch that she herself won’t go overboard. Having to do all of those tasks and then some, like when to pull in the reins or balancing on the stirrup at the same time was taking a real toll on her nerves. Water horsemanship was not an ordinary sport by any means, and therefore couldn’t be practiced like a normal one… and yet somehow Ayato was able to do everything perfectly to deliver a flawless performance.

(Now that’s quite a shocking surprise. Pretty much everyone could just force the Hippocamp to go forward even if they were a total amateur, but she is riding that boat as if she became one with it.)

She couldn’t have reached such a level from learning basic horsemanship alone. Everything about it seemed to be pointing that just like the other two, Kudou Ayato was not an ordinary person. But that didn’t bother Shirayuki-hime at all. Moreover, under the water, her giant body was literally squirming with excitement.

(As I thought, it really is more interesting that way!)

And so she roared again, sending another huge wave their way.

「Fuuuuh~~」

Little by little, Ayato’s breath began to synchronize with the Hippocamp’s. In order to make it easier for him to cross the waves, she moved her center of gravity slightly to the right. With that she was risking the boat overturning, but it was a risk she was willing to take. She let go of one of the reins and used the hand which was freed from the duty of holding it to support the rest of the equipment that connected Hyutos to the carriage, calling out to the other two in the cabin in the meantime.

「We have a pretty nasty wave approaching from the right! If we are to make it through, try doing something to support the boat on your end!」

「Roger that!」

Right after that, Suzuka kicked the door to the cabin open and grabbed their topmost part. Knowing what she was probably about to do a cold sweat run down Ayato’s spine, but the only expression she had on her face was a very serious one. As the waved got closer to them, she bend her body downwards, keeping the boat from turning upside down. Initially Ayato was shocked speechless by the stunts she was going, but she immediately realized the reason why she was putting herself in such danger.

「Now I get it! She’s using the basic principles of surfing! I didn’t know you could do that as well, Suzuka!!!」

「Nah, I can’t! I’m trying this out for the first time in my life, you know?! Just goes to show, you can really do just about anything as long as you put your back to it and try hard enough!」

「That’s fine and dandy, but the carriage stiil got filled with quite a lot of water, you know?!」

Sticking out his drenched head from the other set of doors, Homura shouted at Suzuka. Ayato could only smile wryly and ask for the new instructions for herself.

「What are we going to do now, senpai? Because if we don’t have any effective countermeasures against those waves then I would highly suggest taking the highroad as soon as possible!」

「No! When we reach the next intersection be sure to take the right fork and head towards the industrial area! Got it?! There, we will settle this match once and for all!」

「Okay!」