#1226 The Power to Bring Things to a Happy Ending 

A dragon has invaded. 

Normally, you’d hit the “Abort” button on every program in an emergency like this, but these guys simply refuse to stop racing. 

At this point, I’d reckon all of them have lost their minds. Still, there’s no room for second thoughts: everything hurtles forward at the speed of light. 

“Gwaaaahahaha! Catch me if you can, slowpokes!!!” 

Leading the pack is Veil, the dragon.  

In dragon form, she lives up to her own claims of boundless power, outpacing even light itself. 

“You idiots make the mistake of judging dragons by the standards of lesser creatures! Under my might, I can exceed the speed of light! Stop time! Warp space until every distance collapses to zero! HOGEGEEEEEH!!!” 

She wields every power at whim, and man if it doesn’t feel good to be reminded of her draconic omnipotence after so long. 

“Gwahahahahaha! The law of the universe is speed! The faster you accomplish something, the more effectively you use time! Anyone can be slow! Even a fool can write a masterpiece novel in twenty years! A weekly manga artist is more capable than a monthly one! Daily is better than weekly! Speed is the ultimate measure of talent, the fundamental law of culture!!!” 

She’s still pumped full of hot air, as dragons tend to be.  
They’re proud creatures, and with abilities like hers, who wouldn’t be? 

As for the regular folk who’ve been rudely interrupted by this apex predator… 

“Guoooooh! We’re at top speed and still can’t catch up?! If anything, she’s having a lead over us!” 
“Neighhhhh!” 

Ichiro, the otherworldly train car, and Sakamoto, the dragon horse, simply can’t match Veil’s velocity.  

No matter how much they pride themselves on speed, there’s a chasm they can’t hope to cross. 

“Kuooooooooh! We were born to haul cargo fast! Is there something I can’t outrun?!” 
"Neigh-eigh!” 

I figure it’s good experience for these newborn racers to learn there are truly untouchable beings out there. 

I wonder if Sakamoto’s frustration is getting to him? 

“Don’t give up, Alpha! Keep pushing!” 

Who’s shouting, still refusing to quit? 

Oh, it’s Miss Kimeri.  

She sends a fiery rallying cry from Ichiro’s passenger car. 

“You are our hope, Alpha! You mustn’t give up here! The path opens only when you forge ahead without surrender!!!” 
“She’s right, Alpha!” 
“You never quit, we know you can do it!” 

Ah!  
The other otherworldly train cars catch Ichiro’s tail and surge alongside! 
How on earth?! 

“Sure, none of us alone can beat a dragon, but there are three of us!” 
 “Yes! Together, we can face any formidable foe!!!” 
 “All right! Then… Ultimate Combination!!!” 

In perfect sync, they launch their usual combination sequence, forming a colossal robot.  
Though, wouldn’t that hulking form catch more air resistance and slow them down? 

“Uuughhh… It’s no use! Even combined, we can’t catch up!” 

I told you so. 

Have they tried everything yet?  
Beating a dragon of ultimate power is no small feat, no matter the gimmick. 

I hope this experience expands their horizons… 

“Hee-hii-hin!!!” 

Whoa! What now, Sakamoto?! 

Are you moved by their unity and offering your aid, too?! 

An aura bursts out from Sakamoto, reaching the combined trio and wrapping around them. 

Then, the aura materializes, forming a massive pair of wings on the back of the combined robot?! 
It’s like one of those power-up forms the main robot gets halfway through the show when ratings start to dip! 

“Ooooohhh! I feel the power surge! This… this could beat the dragooooooooon!!!” 

Charged with Sakamoto’s aura, the three-part combiner-robot rockets after Veil at at least Mach 100. 

“Wh-What?! Some clockwork puppets think they can keep up with me?!” 
“It’s not just our strength! It’s everyone believing in us, cheering us on that gives us power!!!” 

A blistering dead heat.  
Combiner-robot chases; Veil sweats behind. 

The gap narrows by the second, until they’re side by side, and the finish line at Farm Station looms just ahead. 

And when the front of that combiner-robot crosses the line first… 

“First place: Combiner-Robot!!!” 

Woooaaahhh!!!  
Cheers erupt!!! 

Well done, Combiner-Robot!  
As it turns out, having all those spikes and protrusions really was your secret weapon!!! 

“Huuuuh? Whaaat?! Some light-speed object just smashed into Farm Station?! The sound’s delayed?! Aaaahhh!!! The shockwave’s blowing everything away!” 

Sorry to those on the ground. Please excuse the chaos caused by this supersonic arrival. 

“W-We won...!” 
“I never thought we’d win…! 
“I thought we were doomed…!” 

Exhausted, the robots split apart, returning to their individual forms. 

Down descends Sakamoto, and me, the extra passenger. 

“Horse, why help us?” 

Sakamoto answers only with serene eyes, gazing at us, an unspoken warmth shining in them. 

“He recognizes you in his own way.” 
“What?” 

Veil says, now in human form, adopting a knowing tone. 

“At first, Sakamoto was jealous and thought you stole Master from him. Through competition, he’s come to see you worthy of serving Master, too. That’s why, in the end, he sympathized with your guts and lent you his strength.” 
“Sakamoto…!” 

The robots look at Sakamoto with reverence.  
What is this? 

“Heh. But as Master’s top servant, I must say you’re all still amateurs. Jealousy over Master, ultimately causing him troubles... both are a big no-no!” 
“Urk, that’s…!” 
“Brrrrrr…!” 

Not just the robots, but Sakamoto lets out a frightened whinny. 

“If I were as immature as you, I’d have incinerated you all with the flames of jealousy. Think on that: to serve Master, you must cultivate a broad, generous heart.” 
“Yes… we’re sorry…!” 

Veil’s twist turns it into a good moral lesson. 

She’s gotten pretty good at socializing, framing things grandly to make herself look like a big deal. 

She still lost the race, though. 

And she’s good at clouding the facts with smoke and mirrors. Crafty dragon, I swear. 

“I’m so movedddddd!!!” 

Whoa, what now?  

Wagon Guildmaster? 
You’ve just arrived at Farm Station, too. How’d you manage that? 

“Carriages and trains, hand in hand. Transportation will soar to new heights! They’ve shown us that! That’s why today’s contest existeeeeeed!!!” 

Oh, finally you get it.  
I’ve told you a hundred times. 

Trains carry heavy loads swiftly but can’t reach every nook and cranny.  
That’s where carriages come in. 

New civilization and old. 
It’s about filling each other’s gaps, coexisting and thriving together…! 

 
“Our Wagon Guild intends to evolve so we can coexist with railways. We’d be honored if Lord Saint, the rail’s foremost expert, could advise us on how best to adapt…” 

Ah, yes…!  
That’s exactly what I’ve been hoping for…! 

Isn’t it said that after the storm, the land hardens?  
In the end, we’ve forged an ideal partnership from this competition. 

And… that’s a good thing… right?