Chapter 213 - Whoosh!!
While the boy patiently waited for his turn to race, the team was already cycling fast. Thomas said, “Calm Down, even if he passes us, it is not a bad thing. If you all get so reeled up then, we will fall before we can even reach the mountains. Calm Down.”
He was not yet leading the front of the team but was in the middle of the formation. His words made everyone calm down and the rush continued. Ayaka had told them to increase the distance between them and Dao as much as possible. That is what they were doing.
Half an hour passed and the team reached the foot of the mountains. Icarus said, “Now it begins.”
Ray switched the position and started drafting for the team. The team entered the mountain road. If Yang Dao can catch up to them within ten minutes then the boy will not be bothered by the pack. Otherwise, things will be hard for him to deal with. Ayaka looked at the drone and the clock and said, “Show me your limit, Dao.”
…
At the gates of the Orlenko mansion, Mina Orlenko said, “Go.” Yang Dao was waiting for this signal in a ready-to-rush stance. As soon as the words fell in his ears the boy pedaled. His start was slow but after five or six pedals his speed started to climb. After ten seconds, he has vanished from the sights of the people at the mansion gate.
Yang Dao clicked his left and right fingers from time to time as he rode. His speed was almost exceeding the range of imagination. At this moment he was riding with his head leaning down toward the handlebar. He held on to the lower grip and his bike was swaying slightly from side to side.
This stance did not look like a full sprint but was somewhat awkward. The boy was aware that Ayaka was watching him from the drone. Sushi, the sylph, made the air pass through him and the boy faced no restriction from the wind. To make it, even more, exaggerated a strong gust would blow from behind him and give him a boost.
After one minute the boy mumbled, “Time to whoosh.” he stood up on his bike and switched to the front top gear, sped up and became silent. He asked Sushi to stop the wind pass through his body. The tiny girl nooded and waved her hand to stop the innate magic. She asked, “Master, what will you do now?”
The boy smiled and said you will see. He made a cone shaped barrier in front of him. The reason was simple, It was better that the air flew around him instead of through him. The airflow may be the enemy of speed when confronted, but if it is bent to the side then the wind will guide you as if you are her own.
The birds in the sky do not fly without wind, they fly because they can be friends with the wind and ride it. The wind squeezed Yang Dao’s body forward. The boy suddenly stood up from his seat and sped up. After a few seconds he switched the optimum gear combination and sprinted on the road.
The drone recorded the complete process, Ayaka took a deep breath and mumbled, “Damn.”
Kiya asked, “What happened coach?”
“What do you guys think his speed is?” asked the coach.
Sasha said, “Probably above fortyfive kilometers per hour?” she was unsure about it and made a guess based on Yang Dao’s previous performance.
Kiya shook her head and was about to answer when Nika, who has joined the club officially as a manager spoke, “Sixty Kilometers per hour?”
Ayaka smile and said, “Close but not correct.” she gazed toward Kiya who said, “The drone speed is sixty kilometers per hour, Dao is almost out of the frame if not for the high elevation for a wider view. He is going slightly above sixty kilometers per hour.”
The coach smiled and said, “With this speed he can make it to 10 kilometers but the team is already 25 kilometers ahead.” her words shocked the people.
Kiya asked, “How will he even catch up to them? This is not right.”
Ayaka said, “That is the challenge, at this moment he needs to increase his cadence. The human body can only boost him to a limit otherwise he will not be able to catch up.”
By increasing the cadence his speed will increase but it will be consuming his energy too fast. This was the choice he needed to make. In reality things would not have been so drastic but Ayaka could not afford to go easy. The conditions of the cycling authority were that tough.
As she was dwelling on the problems. Yang Dao had actually increased his cadence.
…
Yang Dao was using the source energy augmentation to speed up. His bike had almost left the frame of the drone cam. He passed by the laborer settlement but a few people did not even have the time to react when the boy vanished from their sights. the roads were curvy but Dao was using his shortest route tactic.
This time it was not based on instinct but calculation. Despite the curves it was like the boy riding in a straight line. Five minutes had passed and he has covered eight kilometers. To get out of the pack he needed to cover atleast five kilometers more. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
The boy looked down at the cyclocomputer fixed on the handlebar, and quickly calculated the distance. Yang Dao was aware of his plight but he did not panic. He knew that panicking will only harm him. Taking a deep breath he focused on the pedaling. Suddenly, his vision changed, now only the road existed in his eyes.
…
Ayaka noticed how Yang Dao began to adjust his bike on the curves. Her eyes brightened as if she was gazing at a diamond. Kiya also noticed this pecularity and mumbled, “Micro controlling?”
Sasha asked, “What is Micro Controlling?”
“When a person can adjust and control the bike to a level where his every move optimizes his performance, that is called Micro COntrolling. You may not have paid attention but during his car race, he did the same thing and took the first by two laps over the rest of the people.” replied Kiya.
Sasha and Nika nodded and Ayaka sighed, “Well, now we can rest easy. The boy can make it through the pack. Let us just see how fast he can catch up to the team. It has been now ten minutes and he still has nine kilometer distance with the team. After passing the pack, you encounter the contenders. It is not easy to pass these contenders. I hope the boy can manage.”
…
After ten minutes, Yang Dao calculated his distance and smiled faintly. He picked up his water bottle, sated his parched throat, and after putting the bottle back in the holder, he kept on it.
This time he shifted gears and sped up with the gusts blowing on the roads. His control was impeccable. He advanced with no worries.
…
Icarus said, “Three minutes before he catches up.” he sounded excited.
Behind him the second year guy spoke, “But the time set was ten minutes, right?”
Felix shook his head and said, “Ten minutes were to pass the pack. Then cut down the time and meet up with us. In this seven days event, we have to circle the country, How long do you think we will have to cycle everyday?”
The rest of the people gulped. Thomas said, “Calm down. Thinsg will be fine if you can act calmly.” he was a good captain but at this moment even he was a little flusttered. They were in the mountains and the wind was flowing against them. Thankfully, Ray was an experienced climber and paced himself well.
Suddenly everyone sensed a strong pressure coming from behind. It was an instinct of the racer. The people would always be aware when someone is about to catch up to them. The whole team had goosebumps at this moment.
Ray said, “We all dance and advance together. Do not make it easy for him.” with that said, they all stood up on their bikes and started to speed up.
…
Yang Dao was looking ahead with a smile, he had finally reached the mountain road. Entering the terrain he found that the road was like a snake moving forward. He smiled and continued climbing at an average speed of forty five kilometers per hour.
…
Ayaka said, “Girls, let us cook. The race is about to finish soon.”
The three girls smiled and left, the had bought all the necessary supplies to cook. The guards had all helped them set up a camp and a campfire. With that the people started to prepare for the grand closure of the race.
…
Yang Dao rode with his head down. The team on the upper level of the road spotted him and Ray sped up again. The boy did not care, a gust blew from behind him, and pushed him forward. In just a few seconds, the boy caught up to them.