110TH GEAR - I CAN DO ASSPULLS TOO!
“Stardust Accel!” Flu went ahead with a jumpstart with her glittering pink contrails following her feet as she runs!
“Wind Accel!” My activation was just late for about 0.3 seconds, and red wind streaks are being unleashed by my Speedmage Shoes.
Just like Flu’s Minokawa Type-S, My Adarna Proto converts mana signatures to the color red. That is the reason why I am unleashing red contrail streaks as I run forward!
In this Speed Battle, Flu is heavily handicapped as she is sharing her mana capacity, experience, and spells with me. However, it is not always advantageous for me as I have no access to stardust series spells. Only those of the Royal Bloodline can use stardust magic, and I am just a puny weak commoner.
Other limitations are imposed on both Flu and me. Since Flu is sharing her mana capacity with me, we cannot use extraneous speed spells that involve time and space like Chronoshift and beyond teleportation speed spells like Omnitouch and Flash Bullet Barrage. Those spells are overpowered anyway, so it’s just fair to have those banned.
Flu is getting ahead of me. Our pink and red contrail streaks try to outspeed one another, but it is clear that I am getting the short straw. My navigator is getting worried, so he started talking through the telepathic mic.
“Jon, Flu is widening the gap! You will lose the 2nd Checkpoint Tower at this rate!”
“I know!” I cried.
I focused my mana on my fingers and spread my arms. Red wind contrails started to boost my speed by 15% as I shouted my speed spell!
“Wind Accel Exceed!”
Swoosh!
It was enough to outspeed Fluonessia’s Stardust Accel, but only about three meters. She’s still one step behind me.
“Oh, you’re trying to beat me in a drag race, eh, Jonathan?” Flu teasingly smirked.
“I taught that tactic to you. Race towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower to not just win a score, but to get momentum. There is no way I will give you that first point.”
“Well then…” Flu’s blue eyes shone as she V-spread her arms and unleashed stardust energy on her fingertips! “Stardust Accel Exceed!”
Boom!
The wind barrier shattered as soon as Flu used her full speed! Stardust Accel Exceed adds 20% of her total velocity, so it is way superior to my Wind Accel Exceed, which is just 15%! And to make matters worse, Stardust Accel is already more powerful than my Wind Accel! It’s not fair!
Flu managed to reach the 2nd Checkpoint Tower, leaving me a hundred meters behind. Flu made a sudden stop beside the Checkpoint Tower and then smiled at me.
“Jonathaaaaan~” Flu beamed teasingly. “Is it alright if I touch this Checkpoint Tower?”
This pink idiot! She’s trying to tease me, and it grinds my gears! However, I steeled myself and only uttered a forced smile.
“Touch it if you dare.”
“Don’t mind if I do!”
Flu celebrated as she swiped her hand to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower. But before her fingers touch it, I already prepared a spell to stop her!
I have already created a bird-shaped projectile on my right hand. All I needed to do was to throw it right in front of my opponent’s face to make her discombobulate!
“Firebird Flashbang!”
“Eh?”
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The projectile shot right in front of Flu’s face and then it exploded, creating a blinding flash of light! There was also a deafening blast of sound that rang in her ears!
Eeeeeeeeeee!
“Ah! I can’t see!” Flu cried as she covered her eyes. She tried flailing her arm left and right, trying to touch the Checkpoint Tower, but she kept on missing!
This is my opportunity! I went with my top speed and then reached the 2nd Checkpoint Tower with a touch!
Beep!
Point for Jonathan, at 1:0!
“Aaaaaaah! Not fair!” Flu cried when the effects of the flashbang wore off and saw me scoring the first point. She pouted adorably and stomped on the ground angrily.
I just left my opponent with a teasing smirk on my face.
“Hehehe! That’s what you get for not taking me seriously!” I said.
Flu touched the Checkpoint Tower to score her first point with an angry pout on her face.
Beep!
Point for Fluonessia at 1:1!
The pink idiot then changed to her smile as she looked at me. “I’ll take you on seriously then!”
While I was running away, Flu yielded touching the Checkpoint Towers, and went ahead to the center of the Triangle. I guess she will be using the Phoenix Arrow strategy and decided to play as a Striker.
As for me, I have to focus on touching Checkpoint Towers like a Speedster. I know we’re both Counters, but considering Flu’s innate ability to do asspulls during a tag fight, I will be at a great disadvantage.
My intellect is my only edge against Flu. But Flu’s instincts are much more sharpened than mine because of her journey to becoming the Speedmage Champion. I may have inherited some of her instincts learned from past experiences, but there is still some element of surprise in Flu.
I finally reached the 3rd Checkpoint Tower without any interruption. I tapped the 3rd Checkpoint Tower to score!
Beep!
Point for Jonathan, at 2:1!
I drifted to preserve my speed and then boosted towards the 1st Checkpoint Tower! I was able to beeline for about 10% of the total distance between Checkpoint Towers when Cruzo talked to me via telepathy.
“Phoenix Arrow, incoming!”
When I looked to my side, I saw a shooting fire bullet heading straight in my direction!
“Oh shit!”
Boom! It was a direct hit, and I was repelled due to the collision! However, Flu was able to recover swiftly as she created another Stardust Trampoline to make a second Phoenix Arrow!
“Yaaaaaah!”
Flu shot through my back and struck it, creating a pink magical circle point indicator!
Beep!
Point for Fluonessia, now a draw at 2:2!
“Darn, it!” I cried as I was launched by the repelling force of the magical barriers colliding once again.
However, Flu is not finished yet! She quickly recovered balance in midair and created three Stardust Trampolines! She jumped from one trampoline to another, and then to another, doing it repeatedly until she created two more clones of herself!
“Chain Trampoline: Triforce Mirage!”
The three Fluonessias shoot at me in three different directions. One chased me to my left, one pursued me to my right, and one boosted towards me in a head-on collision!
I only have a small window to act. I spread my arms and created plate-sized Air Trampolines on each hand. With the bouncing effect of both mini Air Trampolines, my body vibrated at a molecular level!
“Yaaaaaah!” Three Fluonessias surged to me!
However!
Bzzzt!
The three pink idiots bumped against each other and they were repelled by their magical barriers!
“Kyah!” All three Fluonessias uttered a short yelp.
Because of this interruption, the speed clones disappeared, leaving the one and only original Flu.
“E-Eh? What happened?” Flu cried.
“Heh!” I gave a single laugh as I boosted away from my opponent. I need to touch that 1st Checkpoint Tower fast!
“I will not let you!” Flu cried as she used Rocket Jump, created a Stardust Trampoline in midair, and then shot toward me! “Phoenix Arrow!”
Swoosh!
“Vibrate!” I cried as I activate my speed spell once again. And once more, my molecules wobbled at super speed!
The flaming pink Speedmage’s execution and accuracy of the Phoenix Arrow are perfect. However, she failed to strike my back for the reason that I can completely phase through matter when my speed spell is activated. Fluonessia just passed through me and managed to hit nothing but the air!
“Eeeeeh!?” Flu cried. “What is that speed spell!?”
I managed to reach the 1st Checkpoint Tower. But before I touched it, I turned around and smirked at my girlfriend who is quite confused in this turn of events. I grinned at her and explained.
“This is Chain Trampoline: Phasing Vibrate! By bouncing over and over from two mini Trampoline spells, my atoms will vibrate at a molecular level, making me able to phase through anything.”
“H-How did you learn that!?” Flu asked.
“It’s a secret!” I raised my index finger and gave a smug. “You know, Flu. You’re not the only one who knows how to do asspulls.”
“Jeez! You’re so unfair!” Flu pouted angrily once again, but she immediately turned to a smile of excitement and pumped her fists. “Teach me that spell, Coach! Teach me! Teach me!”
“If you win, I might teach you,” I said as I leaned on the 1st Checkpoint Tower which made it glow in red color.
Beep!
Point for Jonathan, at 3:2!
“In that case…” Flu smiled as she channeled stardust energy throughout her body. She also removed the winged hairpins on her hair, which is a bad omen for me in this speed battle.
Stardust wings sprouted from her head, from her wrists, and from her ankles. She started to float, defying all laws of physics. The Speedmage Champion’s blue eyes glittered as she glared at me with the intent to kill. Maybe not kill, but defeat me.
“Pinions of Bravery!”