Machi looked at the monitors inside the arena, "AI: 50%", it seemed that Hiroshi now had a powerful ally, would she be able to defeat an artificial intelligence? Machi had taken an IQ test at school recently, the result was above average: 115. What was the IQ of an artificial intelligence?
However, as capable as they were, they lacked something that only a human was capable of: intuition, a way to find a solution that defies all logic.
Without warning, Hiroshi advanced towards her with his robotic fist slicing the air, it seemed this time he wanted to initiate the attack.
Machi dodged to the right, expecting the flank to be exposed again, but to her surprise Hiroshi also turned to the right, taking advantage of the exoskeleton's rotating torso. Certainly an AI-assisted maneuver.
The ice underneath the machine made a scratching noise, the exoskeleton legs had achieved friction on the ice to correct the trajectory and follow the upper body direction, now Hiroshi was chasing Machi at full speed, it was just a matter of time.
For such a heavy machine, the speed it achieved on that surface was phenomenal, it had no disadvantage, the advertiser had just said that to stir up the surprise.
The Plexiglas wall was closing in fast, Hiroshi was too close to Machi for her to attempt an evasive maneuver. She was trapped.
Suddenly, Machi turned to Hiroshi and started to brake her ice skates to slow down the speed.
Hiroshi thought she had lost her mind, they would crash at high speed and she would seriously injure herself by crashing into his metallic exoskeleton.
Hiroshi pressed the brake pedals, but there was no response. He pressed them again, but nothing, "What the hell?!".
A message appeared on the prototype's screen: "AI Assistance: Braking not recommended, high probability of success if current speed is maintained, brake pedals locked."
Hiroshi couldn't believe it, the AI had overpowered him and seemed to make decisions on its own to ensure victory.
"Get out of the way you idiot, I can't brake!" Hiroshi yelled at Machi.
Hiroshi realized that his warning had come too late, he was already very close to her.
He waited for the terrible outcome, strangely he didn't feel the impact with Machi's body, instead, he felt his own speed increasing without control, he couldn't see Machi anymore, the only thing he saw ahead was the Plexiglas wall getting closer and closer, and it was too late to avoid it.
The metallic exoskeleton piloted by Hiroshi Sato slammed into the Plexiglas wall with terrible violence, the entire perimeter of the arena reverberated with the impact, and the startled spectators jumped back.
Leaning against the floor next to the arena wall, the stunned Hiroshi tried to focus his thoughts inside the metallic exoskeleton.
He couldn't see Machi, she had certainly been crushed between him and the wall.
Hiroshi felt nauseous, that demonstration had gone terribly wrong. The odds of her having survived that violent impact were null.
Machi had been the only failed conquest in Hiroshi's life, a blot on his immaculate "curriculum." He was used to hearing hysterical delusions every time he proposed dating to a girl, after all, he was the most popular (and rich) boy at school. After a few days he would end everything and simply say that it had been a mistake, he had a pocket notebook where he marked all the idiotic girls that were conquered by his charm.
With
Machi things had been very different, Machi avoided Hiroshi, she
didn't like him, but Hiroshi couldn't just give up on her, she was
smart, cultured, and classy, something he couldn't say for his other
conquests.
One day Hiroshi cornered Machi and forced her to listen to his dating proposal.
He was in the middle of the sentence when Machi looked at him with cold eyes and gave him the biggest slap, many people watched the scene as the entrance bell rang.
A furious Hiroshi tried to slap Machi back, but an older boy held him up to avoid it from becoming even more embarrassing for him.
Hiroshi had never felt such rejection in his life.
Machi left leaving Hiroshi humiliated in front of the entire school, more than the humiliation, Machi had stained his reputation.
Now with Machi dead, Hiroshi no longer knew what to feel.
He suddenly glimpsed a silhouette approaching the place where he was prostrated. Was he dreaming, was it... Machi?!
Machi was in pretty good shape for someone who had died, she didn't have any injuries, and she was as confident as ever, Hiroshi couldn't believe his eyes, somehow she had escaped the deadly collision with the enclosure wall. Probably she had planned it all from the moment she had turned to him in the middle of the run.
Machi had defeated the world's most advanced prototype, for the second time.
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