Keiichi must race for the Auto Club against the Ushikubo University Motorcycle Club, whose president, Etsushi Ohtaki, made a bet with Tamiya where Belldandy must join his club if he wins.
Summary[]
Having finally finished the recruiting process, Tamiya announces to the Auto Club that they plan on competing in a race against the Ushikubo University Motorcycle Club. He then presents them with a Honda Supercub as the motorcycle they will be using in the race, pleasantly surprising Keiichi and the others, while Belldandy comments on the vehicle's cuteness. Tamiya then explains the specs and background of the Honda Supercub to his club members, claiming that in honor of the motorcycle's great history, this year will be an All-Cub race. He then announces that Belldandy will be their Team Girl, although she remains ignorant of what they intend for her to do, but in reality, they intend to hand her over the opposing team if the other school wins. Keiichi becomes angered by the audacity, but before Tamiya can explain further, they are interrupted by a man riding a motorcycle. The visitor then comments one of the lack of consensus among the members of the Nekomi Tech Auto Club.
Tamiya explains that their unwanted guest is Etsushi Ohtaki, the president of the Ushikubo Motorcycle Club who is known for always getting what he wants. Etsushi eyes Belldandy and correctly guesses that she is the prize he was promised, mentioning that she will become their Team Girl if Ushikubo University wins the race. Keiichi is horrified by the thought, only to learn that Tamiya and Etsushi made the bet when they started a drunken argument over motorcycle parts. Keiichi realizes they were set up and calls Tamiya and idiot, but his reactions only entertain their visitor. Etsushi laughs at the NIT Auto Club's members and dismisses them as a bunch of losers. Belldandy becomes angry at him for trying to discourage them and accepts the bet vowing that they will win, She then orders him to leave, mixing a spell with her command to ensure he departs immediately. The Ushikubo student then climbs on his bike, doing a badly-executed wheelie as he drives off.
Keiichi asks Belldandy if it was wise to accept the stakes, but she remains unconcerned about her wellbeing, stating that men like Etsushi who look down on other people will never have good fortune. She then goes on to explain the mechanics of causality that result in this, forcefully proclaiming that she will not allow someone like him to win no matter what the case. Keiichi is surprised by her sudden shift in behavior, being slightly frightened by it, but he still promises to win for her under the premise that he would rather die than let Etsushi anywhere near her. Belldandy embraces him lovingly only to pass out in his arms, having used up too much power earlier.
On the day of the race, Belldandy turns up wearing a sporty racing outfit, earning the unwanted admiration of the Ushikubo Motorcycle Club. Tamiya then explains to the racers that they need to start by pulling a marble from the box in his hands and go to the registration desk of the same color. While Keiichi remains uncertain of why they need to do this, he learns that the color will determine the class the person will race in, each class having different conditions for the contestants. Keiichi draws the red marble, designating him for the "Ultimate Class", a race where the Honda Supercub he rides may be customized in any way, with only a few exceptions. He guesses that there must be an unlucky star above their heads powerful enough to overcome even Belldandy's will.
On the day of the race, the Auto Club participates in a series of races where the point totals earned in each round will determine the champion. Hikozaemon Otaki leads Keiichi to his motorcycle, but the latter is unable to even see the Supercub parts. He becomes horrified that they only used the front rim and brakes, but Otaki claims that the frame couldn't hold the engine otherwise and shrugs off the problem, assuring him that he only needs the brakes after the race is over. Knowing that their team is behind and this race will decide the winner, Keiichi heads to the starting line. Etsuchi shows off his own bike and confidently declares he will win.
Belldandy wishes Keiichi good luck, but panics when she senses Keiichi's "unlucky star". On the racetrack, Etsushi laughs knowing that he's already in the lead, Keiichi feels his clutch slip, but notes that he can still win. While the enemy brags about his bike, Belldandy focuses a prayer to bring forth the lucky star of the man she loves, proclaiming her affection for Keiichi. Tamiya then asks Otaki if he remembered to install the safety wire, but his friend claims to have skipped the step to shave an ounce off the motorcycle's overall weight. Otaki claim that he should be fine so long as someone balanced the crank, but Tamiya angrily replies that it was his job to do so.
They win the competition, but the bike gives out and the drag chute Otaki installed turns out to have been a joke, much to Belldandy's horror. Although he crashes the motorcycle, Keiichi comes out of it unscathed, rejoicing that he won the race and survived the impact. Belldandy runs over and embraces him, much to Keiichi's joy.
Quick Reference[]
Chapter Notes[]
- Keiichi participates in his first race of the series.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Toraichi Tamiya
- Keiichi Morisato
- Belldandy
- Etsushi Ohtaki
- Hikozaemon Otaki