Over Drive 23

Chapter 23: Wake not a sleeping lion

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A new dialogue = new panel

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Yuki:

If we envisioned the competition on paper, it should be as follows…

Drawing on the paper:

Number 1

Hyodo (Mental Image)

- Strong
- Powerful
- Fast

Yousuke

- Stupid Brother
- Hasn’t return the 1000 bucks I lent him

Shinozaki

- Doing better than expected
- But only in the beginning?

Terao

- Nice
- Looks sexy

Around here, a lot of them grouped together.

Takeshi (Mental Image)

- Weak existence
- School mate
- Climber

Terao’s Dad’s Van

Hyoudo is at the 62km mark... so he's completed about 1/3 of the race?

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Yuki:

15 participants retired during the first crash,

A moment ago, 10 contestants have given up...

This leaves with 84 people competing!

//

Yuki:

Speaking of which, that person, Hyodo, is he really that good...

What's he like?

The rest of the girls looking at Yuki:

Yuki, your drawings are...

//

Terao’s Dad:

What's he like...

//

Terao’s Dad:

He's tried to pick you ladies up just before the start.

The ladies:

What?

//

Naoto:

I just want your email! Please, I'm begging you!

The ladies:

Who are you?

//

The van:

…

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Terao’s Dad:

That’s him!

Naoto:

…

I am I not now the super unopposed master now …

//

Ladies cheering:

Naoto!

Naoto!

Naoto!

//

//

Ladies cheering:

Ooooh- He looked at me!!

Naoto:

That is right, I am the hero!

There's no satisfaction in winning this half-assed.

Background:

Hyodo is god!

//

//

Naoto:

They are reaching…

//

//

Naoto:

It is decided!

//

Naoto:

It is a declaration! A clean victory sweep!

The Sprinter’s prize has been won!

I will win the next two mountain awards and pass through the finishing line in fashion!

//

Naoto:

And... at night, I'll bed a hundred ladies

Wash your panties and wait for me!

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//

//

//

Reporter in helicopter:

He finally said it! Hyodo Naoto’s panty washing declaration no, …

It is his clean sweep declaration!

Since this competition started 3 years ago, this has become the competition’s custom!

//

Crowd (Two ladies at backdrop):

He’s …

An idiot!

An absolute idiot!

//

Crowd:

That is right, he is an idiot.

No matter how strong he is, what he mentioned is unforgivable!

That's right, how can he possibly bed a hundred ladies.

Compete seriously!

//

Ladies crowd:

…

Ah...

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Ladies Crowd:

Aaah, I want you to bed me too!

No fair, me too!

Ladies Crowd:

Hold me!

Guy crowd:

What?
//

Reporter:

Oh no, the ladies have begin chasing Hyodo Naoto on foot!

//

Reporter:

The situation has become chaotic!

Hyodo riding in the front!

The ladies are chasing from the back!

But …

//

Ladies chasing Naoto 1:

H-huh, what...

Why did the …

Lady chasing Naoto 2:

Suddenly, so hard...

Lady chasing Naoto 3:

I can't either...

Reporter:

Everyone, take a look!

The ladies have each become totally exhausted.

//

Reporter:

That's right! This is where it begins. The "Twin Peaks" that holds the tallest peak in the prefecture.

Compared to this "mountain" the "hill" in the early stages looks easy!

The distance is 17km! Altitude is 1400m. With the average slope at 8.5%, this is Nakaguma Mountain!

//

Reporter:

It is nicknamed the ‘Judgment Mountain’! (The nickname is a direct translation. Feel free to change it if I am wrong.)

Reporter in helicopter:

Every year around one quarter of the contestants give up at this point.

Reporter:

This hill determines the sufficiency of one’s strength.

//

Reporter (on Naoto):

However, Naoto is not being affected by it by one bit.

Heading straight forward towards his goal! His speed is fast too!

//

Reporter:

Since the gap is within the permitted range, they have decided to allow him to take the lead.

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Yousuke:

I will close the gap once it is down sloped.

Terao:

I…

I know you can!

But he's not an opponent that you can win against all by yourself!

//

Terao:

It can be dangerous to allow this type of cyclist to display his arrogance.

We cannot allow him to possess a mentality that he could win us comfortably.

//

Yousuke:

…

//

Water?

We have it.

Energy snacks?

No problem.

//

Terao:

Let us maintained this speed,

and observe for a moment.

.. !

//

//

//

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Terao:

Shino,

Shinozaki!
//

//

Mikoto:

…

Terao:

..!

//


Terao:

This is to be expected.

The pace has been too high.

The energy needed for an uphill and flat is completely different. Unlike the flat where the law of physics are applied and one can coast, on an uphill, one has to press down on the pedals continuously.

For someone like Shino who lacks endurance, this hill is pure hell.

//

Yousuke:

..!

//

Terao:

There is no other choice, we would have to slow down…

//

Black Screen:

What .. ?

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//

Two spectators:

What?

//

Rain?

//

Crowd:

Argh, its cold!

Hide under the tree!

Why did it suddenly…

//

Terao:

…

This is bad…

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Terao (explaining about the rain):

To a race cyclist, the rain and wind are the enemies.

It saps the strength of those who are already weak...

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Terao (explaining about the rain):

To make matters worse, you can't speed down the slope in this. Yousuke's actions are being hindered.

He got us! Come to think of it, Hyodo must have predicted this and that's why he didn't slow down his pace at the mountain.

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Terao (on Shinozaki):

This is the worse! We need to speed up if we are to catch up …

Sorry… Shinozaki…

Mikoto:

Damn…

My shoulder hurts,

I can no longer life up my head.

My entire body feels heavy.

//

Terao:

Shi... Shinozaki...

You can take your time and ride. Your goal is to complete the race.

//

Terao:

Contest number 19 coming up from behind! Just stick with him.

Mikoto:

Number 19?

//

Terao:

He's not a contestant that gets a lot of attention, but he rides steady.

He always completes the race every year.

He knows how to pace himself well. You'll be able to get to the goal!!

//

Terao:

We are off first then!

Yousuke, lets charge to the top!

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//

//

Yousuke:

…

//

.. ?

What is happening below?

Does it seem that the cheering have become louder?

//

//

//

Is it possible that …?

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Crowd:

Whoa!

Who on earth is this contestant?

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Crowd:

As soon as he got to the mountain, he came out of nowhere!!?

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Crowd (on Takeshi):

It is …

the black shirted guy!

//

The four face panel:

It is indeed him!

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Crowd cheering:

Alright, move on!

I am your supporter!

Move on!

Move on!

//

Spectators (chatting amongst themselves):

What happened?

Why did the cheering suddenly become louder?

Who’s that?

Baka, didn’t you pay attention to the announcement?

//

Spectator:

He's the High Schooler climber that shot out at the startline.

//

Spectator:

101 ..

That right, no doubts!

He was slowing down in the down slope earlier. Hence, he was behind the rest of the pack…

//

Spectator:

How many people has he overtaken?

10 people, just like that!!!

Takeshi:

What happened? Why is it so noisy?

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Shinozaki:

There's an amazing one down there!!

How many minute difference!?

How far is he going to go!?

….

//

Shinozaki:

…

…. To be continued. Continue in volume 4.