The School Festival Date (2)
Class 2-3: Mini 4WD Racetrack
“Wow, what an amazing course! It takes up the entire classroom!”
Hasumin let out her loudest cheer of the day.
“You’re right. This is incredible—a massive Mini 4WD track made entirely out of cardboard, covering the entire classroom. It’s seriously impressive.”
I felt exactly the same way as Hasumin.
This must have taken an enormous amount of effort.
“It’s not just a flat track; look at all the different sections. Over there—it’s jumping!”
“That’s the jump section. The launch angle and landing are really tricky to get just right.”
“Wow, they even have sections like that now? Back in the day, it was just simple loops around a flat course.”
“Yeah, like the ones at local toy stores. Those were basic compared to this.”
“It’s amazing how much these tracks have evolved. Well then, commentator Oda, can we get your professional take on this course?”
Pretending to hold a microphone, Hasumin playfully pointed an imaginary mic at me.
“Alright. The standout feature is the High Tower Zone—a spiral climb over 50 centimeters. Motors with high torque would have the advantage there.”
“Oh, I see. So power is key here.”
“After that, the cars race down a steep drop into an acceleration zone. That momentum leads straight into the back-to-back vertical loops—another highlight of the course.”
“Those loops are amazing! They spin around like a roller coaster!”
“If a car isn’t fast enough, it probably won’t make it through the second loop.”
“I see. So you need speed and power… Wait a second, isn’t that kind of obvious? Even I could’ve figured that out!”
“Hold on, I’m not done yet.”
“Oh? There’s more?”
“The trickiest part is the hairpin curve in the middle of the course. If you go too fast, you’ll fly off the track. You’ll need to adjust your speed to make it through smoothly.”
“Haha, Shuhei-kun, you really know your stuff. Your voice even sounds more animated than usual. Boys really do love this kind of thing—it’s like a childhood dream, isn’t it?”
“You could say that. Seeing a course this big makes me feel like a kid again. It’s hard not to get excited.”
“Hmm, so that’s how it is.”
“How what is?”
“Well, look around—there are lots of parents with little boys here, right? But doesn’t it seem like the dads are having the most fun? I guess it’s not just my imagination.”
“A track this size is rare, even at official competitions. It probably brings out the inner child in those dads.”
“So as a booth, this is a huge success. Alright, shall we move on… Wait, what’s up, Shuhei-kun?”
“Uh, do you mind if we stay for ten minutes? They’re lending Mini 4WD cars and tuning kits. I really want to try running a car on this course.”
“Haha, sure. You must really love this stuff.”
“It’s like I can’t suppress this excitement bubbling up inside. Memories of playing with Mini 4WDs in elementary school are coming back so vividly…”
“No need to make excuses~ Oh, why don’t we race? The loser treats the winner to juice next time.”
With a challenging glint in her eye, Hasumin proposed a race.
“Oh? You dare challenge me, the ‘Unbeatable Hero’? You’ve got guts. I accept!”
“Haha, ‘hero’? And ‘unbeatable’? Shuhei-kun, you’re usually so calm and serious, but sometimes you say the funniest things.”
“Surprising, isn’t it? By the way, do you have any experience with Mini 4WDs, Hasumin?”
“Nope, never even touched one. But it’s just a toy car on a track, right?”
“It’s not as simple as it looks.”
“Oh, really? It seems pretty straightforward to me.”
“You’ll understand once you try. Especially with this technical course—even finishing it will be a challenge.”
“What? Really?”
“Look, two cars just flew off the track in quick succession.”
“Oh wow, you’re right.”
“Want to call off the bet?”
“No, I’ll do it. Racing is more fun with stakes involved.”
Hasumin grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying herself.
“So you’ve got a gambling streak? Alright, I like that energy. Go ahead and tune your car as much as you want.”
“Okay! Then… I’ll pick this pretty pink Mini 4WD. For tuning… Hmm, let’s change the tires first. These black wheels will look great as accent colors!”
At the loaner station, Hasumin excitedly picked a car and started tuning it.
But her tuning was purely aesthetic—choosing parts based on color. Even a beginner wouldn’t take such a casual approach.
Heh, Hasumin.
Laugh while you still can.
Mini 4WD isn’t that simple.
For elementary school boys obsessed with speed, Mini 4WDs were like extensions of themselves, battling for supremacy.
After all, the fastest is always the coolest.
Can a Mini 4WD rookie like Hasumin handle this intense battle of pride and speed?
More importantly, I’m Shuhei Oda, the legendary hero who defeated the Demon King and saved the other world Orphermaus!
Prepare to witness the true power of Shuhei Oda, the undefeated hero who hasn’t lost once in five years of relentless battles!