Running. It was an act that every creature relied on to quickly arrive at their desired location. The world teemed with creatures faster than humans, with the exception of some animals such as pandas or sloths. It was rather a difficult job to find those that were slower than humans. And yet, despite their distinctive lack of speed, they were exceptional when it came to running a long distance for a long period of time. Yes, humans were evolved for long-distance running.
"Hmph! Hoo, hoo! Hmph! Hmph! Hoo!"
Lloyd ran southward. He ran endlessly for several hours since he left the starting line. His running speed was extremely fast compared to an average human but shamefully slow compared to centaurs. He was a snail compared to Komanchi, his competitor. But Lloyd didn't stop. He kept moving his two legs, slow and steady, without giving up. He was certain that this was the surefire way to win.
Yes, this is the greatness of mankind!
Lloyd thought as he adjusted his pace.
This is the advantage humans have. We have the ability to run for a long time. There is no other creature that even comes close to this skill of ours.
It was really the case. With short-distance running, humans fell behind almost all of the other creatures since they only had two legs and were in an upright position that received a lot of wind resistance. Their running speed was clearly limited by their physical characteristics. But long-distance running was a whole different story.
It's because of our sweat!
Lloyd wiped the sweat off his face. The cool breeze of the highland cooled the drops of sweat on him. In return, this process cooled the heat accumulated in his body from running. His body temperature didn't rise beyond a certain point, so Lloyd was able to run without stopping.
Additionally, humans are great at conserving their strength!
Having only two legs for propulsion meant less energy consumption. There were only a few muscles used for running, so this allowed for efficient energy management.
"Hmph! Hoo, hoo! Hmph! Hmph! Hoo!"
Thankfully, Lloyd was able to keep running without any breaks, much like some indigenous people or ancient humans such as the homo erectus species who ran hundreds of miles to hunt deer or wild boars. Just like that, Lloyd doggedly worked his two legs to keep charging forward, putting every bodily human feature to best use. Lloyd's past experiences also became a source of help.
Hoo! Hoo! I am! Actually! Good at long-distance running!
Lloyd recalled the days when he received special swordsmanship training from Javier. The first exercise they did was running. On top of that, physical labor was something he was acutely familiar with as he had to frequent construction sites to make ends meet. There was even an instance when he climbed four flights of stairs carrying bricks on his back.
Compared to that, this is a walk in the park! Hoo! Hoo! A stroll!
Not only that, he had useful skills with him.
Ziiing! The three-stranded mana circle rotated violently with the beating of his heart. During his run, he absorbed a small volume of mana hanging in the air and rotated as well as amplified it. The amplified mana was then shoved into his manaheart, which then worked to distribute top-tier mana back to his muscles.
The mana distribution vitalized his whole body like he drank a refreshing cup of cold water provided by a farmer in the Alps. There were many elements that allowed Lloyd to become a tireless running machine, including his long distance running abilities as a human, rich experience with physical labor, running skills taught by Javier, and a combination of mana circle and manaheart. Though he wasn't extraordinarily fast, he was an unstoppable, zealous turtle of the Great Plain. As for Komanchi, who was far ahead of Lloyd, he was doing good. At least, that was true in the beginning.
"Ha! Haaa!"
Gallop! Gallop! Gallop! A dust storm exploded under his hooves, and he charged forward like an enraged tornado. He was a wild horse, both literally and figuratively. His aggressive galloping directly contrasted Lloyd's leisurely jog.
Of course! A human can't be faster than me!
From the moment his hooves left the starting line, after three trots, Komanchi distanced himself from his pathetic human competitor. The distance between them only grew afterward. Within five gallops, the human was nothing but a bean-sized figure. At seven, he was a tiny point. At 20, he was invisible. A speck of dust. As Lloyd vanished in his vision, the happier he became.
This is what we call a race! Hmph!
It was refreshing. The touch of the wind. The lively sensation surged in him as he charged across the plain. And the gutted look on his fading opponent.
Komanchi believed he had trounced his opponent. At least on the first day. But only on the first day.
"Ha! Whew! Whew! Haa!"
Gallop! Gallop! One day later, Komanchi's galloping speed slowed down visibly. No, to be technically correct, his slowing pace was noticeable after one hour into the race. There wasn't any complicated reason behind this. The change occurred because Komanchi was hot and tired.
This is... not as easy as I thought! Haah! Whew!
Komanchi clenched his teeth as his whole body began to sweat profusely. His body felt excessively hot like it was set on fire. He feared he'd faint if he continued on as he was. Reluctantly, Komanchi slowed down. That made him feel better.
It's okay. I've already created a large distance between me and that slowpoke.
Komanchi wasn't worried. He thought he had a good amount of time to spare. He had sprinted fast enough at the beginning of the race and covered a large distance. And besides, that human was eerily slow. It would be impossible for Lloyd to catch up with him.
There's no way I'll lose. Never!
Komanchi was confident and convinced. Another day passed.
"Ugh...! Haah! Hoo! Hoo! Argh!"
By this time, Komanchi was walking now. He couldn't even dream of galloping in this state, and even cantering was too much of a struggle.
I'm... drained!
It was too hot. He was scared that his knees would buckle down. His whole body was drained of energy. And as a last-ditch effort, he decided to walk, never stopping and still feeling relieved that he was remaining in the lead. He kept walking southward. The following day...
"Cough! Cough! Achoo! A... choo! Ugh!"
By this time, Komanchi was practically dragging his hooves. There was no more strength left in him. He was seconds before passing out, and just walking was becoming impossible. The blue sky looked yellow in his vision, and he foamed at the mouth. He tried to move, but his knees disobeyed him, as did his ankles. But he showed burning determination, befitting his title as the champion centaur.
I cannot stop now. The finish line must be near. I... am fast! I cannot collapse like this!
Komanchi widened his eyes and clenched his fists. Burning resolution. Now, his mental fortitude was the only fuel that moved his exhausted body. Komanchi dragged his whole body, going at 0.3 mph. Even still, he was rest assured.
Still, I will win! Of course! If I'm this tired right now, then it's obvious how much worse it has to be for that slowpoke! I bet he's already lying flat on the ground completely unconscious!
Komanchi had no doubt about it. There was no other possibility. He believed that the finish line would emerge soon. Afterward, all there was left for him to do after passing the southern border was to meet the human guards and ask them to direct him to their commander's front yard. Komanchi persisted and crawled forward. But the reality was harsher than he hoped it to be.
"Hmph! Hoo, hoo! Hmph! Hmph! Hoo!"
Just then, Komanchi perked up his ears. He suddenly started to pick up regular breathing from behind. And it was nearing.
What's that?
At first, he thought he was hearing things out of sheer exhaustion as he was seconds away from passing out. But it turned out that his ears were right.
"Hmph! Hoo, hoo! Hmph! Hmph! Hoo!"
"Eh...?" His dazed vision caught something past him. The figure was covered in sweat and running very slowly. Komanchi spotted the red speeding ticket on the man's back. It was Lloyd Frontera, his human competitor!
Impossible!
Could it be that he was hallucinating? Or was he dreaming now? Komanchi thought at first. But that wasn't the case. No matter how hard he rubbed his eyes, shook his head, or even stood on his hind legs, the back in front of him belonged to his human competitor.
W-what? What's going on?!
A sense of panic overcame Komanchi. He hurriedly flexed his leg muscles and encouraged himself to run. He was the champion. He could do it. But it was useless.
Drag... Five inches. That was the distance his panic-stricken effort took him.
No. This is a lie. Ugh...
Komanchi tried to exert some more effort. But only in vain. He was completely drained. Eventually, he fell. He couldn't move anymore. And he panted on the ground as the vision around him started to grow dark. Sometime later...
"Goodness. Why are you sleeping here? You'll get sick," uttered Lloyd. He slapped Komanchi's cheek a few times.
Komanchi was awakened by a sharp and sudden sensation on his skin. His eyes flew open.
"It's salt water. Drink this up first and get your energy back."
Komanchi noticed the cup a hand was holding out and the water swaying in it. He soon saw who it was. "Lloyd Frontera?"
"You recognize me," said Lloyd, "I guess you aren't in a critical state. What a relief."
Komanchi stared, dazed.
"Don't stare at me like that. Here. Drink this first."
Komanchi accepted the glass in a daze and drained the cup. The liquid was salty and cool. It was only then that his head started to ache.
"Ack... What... happened?" Komanchi couldn't make out what was happening. Why am I on the ground when I'm supposed to be racing? And why is he giving me a cup of water? And what is that gaze and expression on his face? Everything was a mystery to Komanchi. But the answer he received from the human was simple.
"What do you mean what happened? The race is over."
"What?" Komanchi's voice broke.
"It's over. The race."
“...”
"I'm telling you."
"Th-Then who won-"
"Me. Duh," interrupted Lloyd.
“...”
"Don't believe me?"
"Like I could!" reflexively bawled Komanchi at him. "You saw how the race started! How I was wretchedly ahead of you! And it was like that throughout the entire competition!"
"Except that it was me who passed the finish line first," pointed out Lloyd with a calm expression on his face.
Komanchi felt dizzy.
"If you want proof of it, then take a look at the cup you're holding."
Not understanding what Lloyd meant, Komanchi hesitantly studied the glass in his hand. And there, he found an inscription.
[Congratulations on becoming the guard commander for the northern border.]
"Wh-what is this?" Komanchi said in dismay.
The corners of Lloyd's lips rose as high at Komanchi's dismay. "I'm glad that you can read the human alphabet. It's a gift I found at the commander's desk inside his manor."
“...”
"No, actually, I borrowed it from the guard commander to prove it to you. You may not know this, but I'm a meritorious retainer of the House of Magentano. When I asked him politely, he even asked if I needed anything more."
Komanchi didn't respond to Lloyd. "So I brought a bundle of proof for you. Here's his rank insignia. Status certificate. Here's his toothbrush. And here's a ceremonial sword and family flag from the queen herself. And yes, allow me to introduce the woman over here to you. She's the commander's wife."
“...”
Komanchi dazedly stared at an elegant human woman bowing at him. That was when it became clear to him.
I lost.
This was enough proof. He lost the race. There came from the corner of his brain a screaming voice that said the human had cheated. But Komanchi shook his head and banished the thought.
Deception? No. That's impossible. My fellow centaurs across the entire plain were watching our race. They saw how we ran.
There was no way for him to cheat. Plus, the human was ahead of me before I passed out...
That was when it came to him. Komanchi remembered how that man trudged ahead of him before he passed out. The man's pace wasn't fast, and his legs shook from exhaustion. But they didn't stop moving. It looked like they'd never stopped.
It was real.
Komanchi, being a runner for his whole life, could tell whether one had run faithfully without cheating. And so, Komanchi accepted his defeat.
"I see. I... lost."
The moment Komanchi accepted his defeat, a new title message popped in front of Lloyd.
Ding dong.
[With tenacity, persistence, and endurance that even turtles would be impressed by, you have won the race against the champion among centaurs.]
[Komanchi, the champion of Klamath, is deeply moved by your tenacity.]
The story of this impressive race will spread to all corners of the plain through the mouths of Komanchi and its spectators.]
[Centaurs have bestowed you with a new title.]
[A new title <Don't Look Down on a Human Ever Again> has been created.]
