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DIVE!! (Light Novel) - Book 4 Chapter 10 - Final Stage ▶ Tomoki
Book 4 Chapter 10 - Final Stage ▶ Tomoki
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The dragon, which had been enshrined in an aloof, detached manner until now, had its body rippled for the first time from the cracking applause from the stands. Tomoki, who had been waiting for his turn on the stairs, got the chills again from the surge that struck him from his feet.
It’s unknown when the wild enthusiasm that broke out in the venue like a tsunami would settle down.
The MDC members were all standing up and cheering, and a half-crying Kyouko was embracing an old woman next to her. Even the people who had been cheering on the swimming competition just before, the staff who were tidying up the main pool, the acquaintances of the other divers, and Chairman Maebara were fervently applauding with excited looks on their faces.
I saw a sight like this before, Tomoki thought as he felt both despaired and deeply moved at the same time. Yes, this summer. That day at the qualifiers for the joint training camp, when Shibuki took part in a competition for the first time.Even though Shibuki was resigned to the result of seventh place, his intense individuality drew the spectators’ eyes to him more than anyone else. Everyone—both the diving spectators and the swimmers in the main pool—stared at Shibuki when they noticed him. Just like this venue here today.
The forward dive in straight position.
There were no somersaults or twists, just a dive that flew forward, but what a strong and beautiful thing it was!
Swans. That dance was just like those birds in flight. There wasn’t just the scent of the sea of Tsugaru, the tide and the seashore. Shibuki had condensed those things as well as the boundless sky, the infinite expanse deeper than the sea, and that wild sparkle spreading its wings there, in only 1.4 seconds.
In the six years that he had been diving, Tomoki had never seen such a dive.
And so, of course, he had also never seen the points that would be given to such a dive.
10 points.
10 points.
10 points.
10 points.
10 points.
10 points.
10 points.
Total, 48 points.
Overall score, 600.09 points.
The spectators’ wild enthusiasm was, in short, half towards the never before seen perfect score, and half towards the unbelievable coincidence of 600.09 points.
The same score as Youichi—.
How did that happen?
On the platform, Nakayama, diving after Shibuki, seemed to have begun his performance looking like he was cursing his bad luck, but the attention of the spectators was no longer there.
If Youichi and Shibuki won with tied scores, then what will happen with the Olympic delegation?
Along with the spectators in the stands, Tomoki’s brain was also jumbled with those kinds of questions.
Will those two be going to Sydney together?
Or would those two be competing one more time for the representative spot?
Of course, if Tomoki, who adorned the end of the competition, succeeded with his 4½, and won with more than 600.09 points, then that problem would be solved there and then.
But, that’s impossible…
All of a sudden, Tomoki was attacked by an anxiety that seemed to peel away and let fall the self-confidence from the core of his body. Youichi’s textbook-perfect dive and Shibuki’s completely mold-breaking dive. Both were almost superhuman. There’s no way I can match those two.
His heartbeat went wild, as though his calmness from before was just an illusion. He was supposed to have become strong. He was supposed to have become a tough man, having trained his body and mind. Even so, in these important last moments, he was carried off his feet by the pressure that he had pretended not to notice until now.
His knees were trembling. His shoulders were abnormally strained. He could see that his lower body was stiff with tension. Nakayama seemed to have finished his performance before he knew it, as his scores were already displayed on the scoreboard. Now, it’s my turn. And yet I can’t move my legs. I can’t dive. There’s no way I can dive in these conditions. I can’t I can’t I can’t—.
At that moment he wanted to throw away everything, and just when his heart did a nose dive to the very bottom, something repelled it.
It was the voice of Kayoko from some time ago.
“Aim for the top. You are a kid who can do it. Focus on ascending to a higher place. There’s a scenery that only you can see.”
There was also the voice of Shibuki from the other day.
“Asaki Kayoko said, ‘Because that kid has the diamond eyes.’”
Youichi’s voice too.
“Don’t think things like it’s impossible. Don’t give up before you even start. It’s possible for anyone. For me, and for you too.”
Miu’s voice as well.
“If it’s you, you can surely overcome things that me and other people couldn’t. Whenever we look at you, we feel like we can cross over anything.”
Before he realized, Tomoki had advanced to the top of the platform, and heard the whistle sounding for the beginning of the performance. His wildly beating heart had settled, and his shivers and strain had also disappeared.
Yes, the victory that I’m aiming for wasn’t the Olympics.
It’s to surpass the invisible box that exists everywhere in every single day, in this era, in this world.
To surpass it, and to grasp a scenery that only I can see for myself.
I dive for that reason, the 4½ is for that reason.
I keep on practicing desperately again and again for that reason.
Tomoki chewed his lips, remembering all of his fierce special training up until yesterday. Throw up the power you possess, throw it all up. If nothing appears anymore then you still must continue to get something out, or you will never be able to do the 4½, Kayoko had raised her voice many times. Throw up your blood if you run out of power! Throw up your sweat! Throw up your gastric juices! Tomoki had actually thrown up his gastric juices in order to continue the tiny progress of raising the entry success rate from zero to one percent, then from one percent to two percent.
Six percent. He knew better than anyone the preciousness of this number that he had finally reached.
Even if he failed, he had absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
Tomoki smiled and started running. In an instant, his blood and flesh began to throb, becoming very pleasant. An exhilarating feeling that threw his body to an unpredictable future at the tip of that platform. He didn’t have Youichi’s skill or Shibuki’s individuality, but because he had nothing, he was light of foot and nimble, and he felt like he could fly anywhere.
Tomoki lightly kicked the platform and dived into the future.
He tightened up his tackle, then 1½―his diamond eyes reflected everyone in the stands. 2½―they reflected Youichi, who was supposed to be passed out in the infirmary. 3½―they reflected his parents, who were waiting for the good news at home. 4½―at that moment, a new scenery, known to no one but Tomoki alone, twinkled on the other side of that transparent box.
