32ND GEAR - ROASTING THE ICE QUEEN TO WIN
Tezza Flaschk continues to race towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower with her lightning-fast sprint! He was already halfway there before I decided to yell at Ericka.
“Forget the 2nd checkpoint, you’re not gonna make it! Go focus on guarding the 3rd, you useless prez!”
“You don’t need to tell me, magicless dwarf! I know what I am doing!” Ericka yelled back as she made a detour and went to the next line.
For some reason, Ericka’s way of sprinting is a lot more efficient and precise.
I just had a ridiculous idea that may work on Prez’s case, and it’s more absurd than Cruzo running in reverse.
I will have to advise with a mix of insults to divert her focus away from the pressure of the match.
Ericka feared the humiliation. But it is not the humiliation that is the problem with her, it is fear. Her fear produces the pressure that in turn makes her too nervous to play Speed Battles. So if I take off the fear, there won’t be a problem.
All I have to do is to humble her so that she won’t be scared.
It feels bad for me to be called a magicless dwarf as a result of Prez’s retaliation, but I will just suck it up and continue giving her insults and commands. This experiment might yield unexpected results if I keep it up.
Beep! Captain Tezza touched another Checkpoint Tower and scored again, now at 1:5!
“You’re being left behind, you President of Uselessness! Make sure she won’t reach the next Checkpoint Tower, or else you are truly useless!” I yelled.
“Shut up, shorty! I’m doing my best, okay!?” Ericka gritted her teeth. She spread out her hands like a goalkeeper, ready to anticipate Captain Tezza’s movements!
The captain of lightning smiled for a moment and then bolted forward with her enhanced Lightning Accel. Larger electric streaks resulted in her speeding up!
All of a sudden, Ericka raised her hand and channeled mana to create a giant snowflake overhead!
“Snowpoint!” Ericka shouted.
The giant snowflake burst into thousands of falling soft snow that slows every molecule on its wide area of effect!
Just like before, Tezza Flaschk made a detour to her right. She is planning to evade the area of effect of Snowpoint just as she did back in Ericka’s previous Freezing Field!
“Remember, Useless Prez. Chase her down but not too close! Don’t be an idiot to make the same mistake twice!” I said calmly through the mic.
“I know! Stop bossing me around, magicless midget!” Ericka said as she boosted forward to follow Captain Tezza’s lightning trail.
I noticed that Captain Tezza is doing an arc of a perfect circle, which means she will be activating a Lightning Whirlpool at any moment’s time! Ericka noticed it too, so she went to the side and got away from the lightning captain’s tail!
“Lightning Whirlpool!”
Captain Tezza spun at super speed, trapping our useless president in the middle of the eye of the storm. Now Ericka has two options- she can wait until Captain Tezza attacks from behind once again, or she could take the bait and try to pass through the Lightning Whirlpool’s walls.
“Prez!” I shouted.
“Shut up! I will do it my way!” Ericka stubbornly yelled at me.
She raised her hand once again and created a giant snowflake. The giant snowflake burst, turning the atmosphere into a cold wind that showered thousands of snow!
“Snowpoint!”
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Snowpoint is a wide area of effect spell, and because of this, the mana cost for using such a thing is high too. Based on Prez’s mana capacity, she can only cast one more spell at this point.
Prez activating Snowpoint while in the middle of the eye of the storm was a great move as it greatly reduced Captain Tezza’s speed in using Lightning Whirlpool. She used to rotate as fast as five times per second, but now it was cut to three rotations per second. It is easier to time her escape at this rate!
“Here I go!” Prez cried as she surged forward, her long blue hair dancing through the air. With Ice Accel, she skated to the east- nearer to the 3rd Checkpoint Tower!
In this way, Captain Tezza will have to attack straight to the east- either strike Ericka’s back or touch the 3rd Checkpoint Tower for another point!
“You’re finished!”
Captain Tezza immediately braked, changed direction facing to the east, and chased Ericka’s back!
However, Ericka was long been anticipating Tezza’s charge. She slid towards her left just before the lightning captain’s fingertips touched her back!
Captain Tezza smiled. She might have failed to strike Ericka’s back, but she still has the 3rd Checkpoint Tower to score a point! Just a few meters, and she would touch the tower!
All of a sudden, my gaze turned to Ericka who was already anticipating it. She waved her hand on thin air, and a snowflake-shaped magical circle formed. With her sliding momentum, she jumped toward the magical circle and launched toward Captain Tezza!
“Is that-”
“Snow Trampoline!” Ericka shouted as she launched like a rocket and struck the lightning captain’s back!
Beep! A sky blue magical circle point indicator manifested, signaling the score for our Prez at 2:5!
“Guh!”
Captain Tezza has launched away from the 3rd Checkpoint Tower. They have now situated hundreds of meters away from the Triangle because of the repelling effect!
“I’m not done yet!” Ericka shouted as she kicked the ground once again to strike her opponent’s back!
Beep!
Another sky-blue magical circle point indicator appeared! Point for Ericka, now at 3:5!
“Shit!” Captain Tezza groaned after she was pushed away from her position once more! Now their battlefield is at the northern part of the Triangle, nearer to the 1st Checkpoint Tower!
“One more!” Ericka made a swift U-turn while ice skating and struck Captain Tezza’s back!
Beep!
Point for Ericka! The score is closing in at 4:5!
It was said already, but I will repeat it. Strikers have high control output, and it makes it easier to maneuver for them at short distances. Speedsters often struggle when they have already been engaged in a tag fight, that is why Captain Tezza’s goal is to get away from the pressure zone and touch the Checkpoint Tower.
“At this rate… I will lose! I have to get away!” Captain Tezza cried. “Lightning Jump!”
Tezza Flaschk kicked the ground with lightning sparks to give a significant jump-start for her to flee!
However, Ericka managed to circle just in time and intercept the opponent! With a swift flick of her hand, Captain Tezza launched farther away!
“Guh!”
“You’re now trapped here with me!” Ericka yelled as she circled Tezza’s back! “Yaaaaah!”
Beep!
Another sky-blue magical circle point indicator formed, and it is now a draw at 5:5!
After that point, I noticed that Ericka was already exhausted. I can hear her heavy breathing from my headphones. I can also see that Captain Tezza is doing the same too. Being struck in the back over and over must have taken a toll on her physical and mental stamina.
Ten seconds left before the match ends.
Both Speedmages stand in front of one another, not moving an inch. Ericka is catching her breath while Tezza Flaschk is hesitating to run away. The opponent knew that once she made her move, Ericka would just catch up and strike her from the back.
“I will battle you in a tag fight then…” Tezza smiled. She activated Lightning Accel on her shoes once more.
Ericka smiled. Ice particles intensified on her feet. The next point will be the last, so she is here to give it her best.
“Here I come!” Ericka surged forward, skating towards the lightning captain.
On the other hand, the lightning captain went to the right and run in the shape of an arch. Is she going to activate Lightning Whirlpool again!? If she uses that spell one more time, Ericka won’t have a way to escape it!
Lightning streaks intensified on Captain Tezza’s trail. She gathered mana on her feet and continued to run in a circle while Ericka was following her from behind!
“Lightning Whirl-”
Bzzzt!
The lightning energy burst out of existence, and Captain Tezza’s sprint became slower. She has run out of juice due to the continuous activation of her enhanced Lightning Accel which is quite a heavy load even for experienced Speedmages!
“I got you!”
Ericka skated forward with her last ounce of strength to strike Captain Tezza’s back!
Beep!
A sky-blue magical circle point indicator was made, giving the score to our useless president!
Fweeeeeeeet!
The referee whistled a split-second later. Then he raised his hand and announced the winner!
“Match over! The score is 6:5, with President Ericka Azure of the Merry Knights hailing as the winner!”
The crowd cheered after witnessing the end of another spectacular Speed Battle.
“She did it! Prez won! She is really awesome!” Flu hopped in happiness.
“Woaaaah! I never would have thought that Prez will last without vomiting!” Cruzo cried tears of joy, not because Prez won, but because she did not humiliate the Merry Knights Guild name.
Ericka waved her hand to us. She was happy to have finished the match without unleashing her breakfast. As a bonus, she even defeated one of the three Cool Escape Guild Captains. Ericka has the talent to become a great Speedmage, and now she even overcame her fear of humiliation.
Anyway, I have to get out of here. I trash-talked our president enough, and I might not see the end of the day if I stay.