SBR Chapter 5

First Stage, 15,000 Meters is the fifth chapter of Steel Ball Run.

Summary
This chapter begins with Stephen Steel inviting journalist as well as spectators to follow the race by train while stating that services such as tea, wine, and dining are in the boxcars. The announcer states that " the fireworks are up that's the starting signal 10 am September 25 1890 the Trans-North American Race Steel Ball Run has begun." Once all the passengers are in the train Stephen Steel describes the development of the race and it's routes saying "between 6,000 km from San Diego to New York and the Atlantic Ocean there are checkpoints set in nine places including New York these checkpoints are places for identifying race ranking, running time, and to check for any illegal activity such as horse exchanges each race up to their checkpoints will be called a stage nine stages in all the 1st stage that has just started is a sprint run that will end at the catholic church 15,000 meters ahead we will also decide the champion of each stage and present a prize money bonus to the stage champion goes a 10,000 dollar bonus and a time bonus of one hour." As Stephen mentions the time bonus a spectator near him thinks of how it would work while Stephen explains " that it will be very useful during the last part of the race for example if a person with a time bonus comes in second place in New York and the difference between first place is less than one hour that person will become the champion therefore it's a one hour extension to the total race time but this time bonus everyone will be wanting it but this race goes for over two months on one horse going hard on the horse right from the start and charging into the harsh front line would be something to think over you could easily break your horse right away." While Stephen has finished explaining the time bonus one of the horses speeds off away from the starting line ahead of every other racer as everyone is stunned by this the announcers in the train are trying to get a look at the racers saddle cloth to see which racer this is. One announcer uses his telescope to read the saddle cloth as B-636 which identified as belong to Gyro Zeppeli. The announcers remark " Incredible racing number B-636 Gyro Zeppeli has left the group racing solo he's trying to make a clean getaway for the full 15,000 meters and he's still speeding up." While this going on Stephen Steel is asking his representative who Gyro Zeppeli i as his representative replies that there are no records of him. Johnny meanwhile is watching Gyro speed up while thinking "that he's planning to charge here as well that the horse he's riding on is a stock horse that he had heard has Australian roots along with amazing stamina." While stating that Gyro is probably going to rely on his horses stamina and speed in this stage Johnny thinks to himself " but there are 15,000 meters he'll definitely tire out in the later half and there's a race tomorrow too going for it after 13,000 would be reasonable but racing at that speed is he really thinking about crossing the continent like that no he said he'll win the race to cross the continent and become champion." As Gyro continues to run ahead of the other racers Diego Brando catches up to him from behind while Urmd Avdol catches up to him from the left side and charges him. While this happens Johnny watches this commenting that the "camel's run may appear to be in slow motion but it's legs are twice the length of the horse's and its stride can accelerate enough to compete with the speed of a horse its weight surpasses 800kg that's 1.5 times the heavier than a horse he's planing to go for the goal by crushing anyway close to him." As Avdol continues to charge and hit Gyro causing him to lose speed Diego takes advantage of this predicament and moves forward. Gyro takes one of his Steel Balls out and throws it as he runs into a grove of trees with Avdol following him saying " if anyone is getting the time bonus its me sorry to say the final blow." Avdol lunges into what he thinks will be the final blow for Gyro and his horse but it turns out to be a group of cacti. The announcer states that " it's a fall Urmd Avdol is down Gyro is unhurt and has not charged into the cacti while furthermore saying " what a start the first stage they haven't even run for 1,000 meters and what a flurry of events Urmd Avdol he's not moving he's been eliminated a champion candidate has just been eliminated from the race." Johnny hearing this thinks to himself " what just happened the steel ball was it because of the steel ball again the spinning steel the cacti's image showed in the dust of the rocks the vibrations caused by the spin the vibrating waves searched the location of the unseen cacti searching with the vibrating waves behind rocks like hitting a watermelon to check the insides." This chapter ends with Gyro saying " whatever I can get I'll take it except diseases but especially a time bonus Nyo ho."