#1062 Arms United

The Demon Prince Goetia stands at the fourth gate.

Well, that’s technically me, though.

The first and second checkpoints had some interesting theatrics, but the third obstacle took things to a whole new level.

At Orkubo’s Castle’s third obstacle, you usually face off against artificial lifeforms called homunculi. But in the kids’ division, these homunculi wear bibs and come at you wielding baby rattles.

It was actually pretty terrifying when I saw it.

A perfect example of how making things cutesy for kids can end up being utterly baffling.

Somehow, I managed to survive that horror show and arrived at the fourth checkpoint.

Even up to this point, hardly anyone had dropped out.

Well, that’s not surprising.

The obstacles so far didn’t seem designed to eliminate challengers at all.

Expecting people to fail under these circumstances would be pretty unreasonable.

Of course, Junior—the saint’s son and the rival I’ve set my sights on—was also smoothly progressing to the fourth obstacle.

“Hey, Junior! Is it true you found the lucky red homunculus earlier?!”

“Master Junior, you’re awesome!!!”

As usual, he’s being fawned over by his entourage.

What’s up with that?

They’ve formed their own little clique of fanatics!

Don’t they realize how awkward it is for newcomers like me?!

I’m getting frustrated that things aren’t going the way I hoped!

I hope the fourth obstacle is going to be better!

“Welcome, oh pitiful little lambsss.”

Wait, what?!

That voice!

I couldn’t help but shudder at the familiar sound.

Sure enough, the figure waiting at the fourth gate was someone I knew all too well.

“Marine?! Why are you here?!”

My half-sister.

Isn’t that Princess Marine, born to Father and his second queen, Glasya?!

“I believed you’d make it this far, dear brother.”

“Cut the phony act!”

Even though she’s a princess, my half-sister possesses exceptional talent and is said to have a real shot at becoming the Demon King.

I no longer see you as an innocent princess! You’re a rival competing for the throne!!!

To think I’d run into you in a place like this!

What are you up to?!

“This checkpoint features an obstacle I designed, hon. When the saint asked if I’d like to try, I wanted to meet his expectations, hon.”

Wh-What?!

Marine is that trusted by the saint?!

And all while I didn’t know?

Am I really falling that far behind?

“So, here’s the attraction I came up with, hon.”

She points to what looked like an ordinary floor.

Square tiles laid out in a grid pattern.

That’s about all I could see.

“What’s this? The previous obstacles were way flashier than this!”

One of the participants says that and steps carelessly onto the grid-like floor.

...Wait!

Don’t step forward carelessly!

An obstacle designed by my highly regarded half-sister can’t be anything but dangerous!

“Huh? Whoaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!”

See, I told you!

As soon as the careless kid steps on a tile, it vanishes beneath him, revealing a bottomless pit.

He couldn’t react in time and was sucked into the abyss, disappearing from sight.

“Whoa! A casualty at this point?!”

“Participants who fall are safely teleported to a safe zone as usual. No problem, hon.”

I see, so that’s the game here.

These grid-like tiles have correct ones to step on and wrong ones.

If you step on the wrong tile, it becomes a trapdoor and you fail.

Which tiles to step on, and which to avoid.

There must be a hint.

Ha ha ha! How about that, dear half-sister!

Your big brother has brilliantly analyzed your challenge!!!

Now, if only I can figure out the hint to distinguish the tiles...!

“Well then, I’ll give you the hint, hon.”

Huh?! You’re going to tell us?!

I thought we’d have to figure that out ourselves!

“The hint to distinguish the correct and incorrect tiles is... the Fibonacci sequence, hon.”

Eek!

Fibo-what now? What’s that?!

“Brother, haven’t you learned about it yet? I just picked it up recently and wanted to try using it. It’s that phase where you want to apply everything you’ve just learned.”

What?!

My younger sister has mastered something even I, her older brother, haven’t learned yet?!

I feel like I’ve stumbled upon some extremely important information!

No, I have to focus on clearing this attraction now...!

Looking closely, numbers are written randomly on the grid tiles.

Probably using that Fibonacci sequence Marine mentioned? If I figure out the correct numbers and step on those tiles, I can reach the goal without falling into the pit.

But since I haven’t learned anything about this Fibonacci sequence, I have no idea which numbers are right!

“There’s a time limit, hon. Every three minutes, the tiles behind you will disappear, hon.”

What?!

Darn it, the pressure’s making it hard to think straight...!

Fine! If it comes to this, I’ll just wing it!!!

I’m the Demon Prince!

A royal protected by destiny should be able to make it even if I proceed randomly!

Watch and see! This is the true power of the Demon Prince!!!

Nope, not working!

The tile disappeared, and I’m falling into the pit!

But someone grabbed my hand firmly as I was about to fall!

Who is it?!

Junior?!

“I’ll help you out, Goetiaaa.”

Why...?!

We’re rivals, aren’t we...?!

“You’re my friend, Goetiaaa.”

I see...!

I’m the only one seeing us as rivals; Junior has a big heart and is looking out for me...!

How small-minded I’ve been...!

“But, Junior, how did you pull me up? Did you figure out that... er, number sequence?”

“Nope, don’t understand ittt.”

Then how did you...?

“I’m floatinggg.”

Waaaah!

Junior is floating in mid-air while sitting cross-legged!

As if saying, ‘If you can’t avoid falling, just float’?!

What a game-changer!

“Zero, one, one, two, three, five, eight, thirteen, twenty-oneee.”

Huh? What was that?!

And so, I once again realize the greatness and generosity of Junior, the saint’s son...!

And then my half-sister Marine chimes in...

“Brother, it’s amazing that you cleared it properly, hon. As expected of Dad’s heir.”

Ah, um...!

Yeah...!