34TH GEAR - THE ARROW OF THE PHOENIX
I’m not an expert in magic since I’m not a mage, but I have heard of seriously talented individuals who can fuse two elements to form a new kind of magic. For example, if you use water and earth magic, you can have the power to control mud. However, there are other higher forms of magic fusion such as what we are witnessing right now.
Captain Haruka unleashed Bloodfire Accel, which is a third level of elemental magic fusion. Every step she makes unleashes crimson liquid flames that burn anything on its trail. It is far superior to normal Fire Accel in horsepower and acceleration.
“Awesome!” Flu smiled in amazement as she stared at the opponents’ dark red flaming contrails.
“That is not the time to appreciate your opponent! Come on, step up!” I yelled.
“R-Roger!”
After a few seconds, Captain Haruka reached the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! She drifted and tapped it with her right hand!
Beep! First point for Captain Haruka!
The gap is widening at this rate, so I know that Flu has to do something with her speed!
“Flu, use the Flash Step!”
“Roger!” Flu answered.
Stardust particles formed around Flu’s Speedmage Shoes, and with a single kick to the ground, she was able to close into the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! With her soft hands, she swiftly touched the checkpoint!
Beep! Point for Flu, at 1:1!
Because of using Flash Step, we were able to close into our opponent who was still going for the 3rd Checkpoint Tower. Flu is trying to match the enemy’s speed, but we are not shortening the gap within them. We might get in a more disadvantageous position if we haven’t gotten a solution for this!
“Flu, can you do two consecutive Flash Steps?” I asked.
“I’m not sure, tahahaha.” Flu then glared at her opponent with a smile. “But since you suggested it, I’ll try!”
“Try to catch up and strike her back!” I said.
“Roger!”
Stardust energy gathered on Flu’s left and right shoes. With one stomp, she unleashed the first Flash Step. With her other foot, she kicked the ground with extraordinary speed! She finally did a Double Flash Step, and she managed to close the gap!
“Yaaaaaah!” Flu spread out her hand, trying to reach the opponent’s back!
“Haruka, use Bloodfire Nitro!” The opponent’s navigator Captain Tezza commanded.
“Ah, fine!” Captain Haruka hopped and stomped the ground on two feet! Then she bent her knees, channeling blood-fire magic on her shoes, and revved by running to the extremes! “Bloodfire Nitro!”
“Kyah!”
Flame burst out from her feet that showered around Flu! Because of the sudden splash of flames, Flu became disoriented and began to run in a zigzag like a drunk person! She went left, then right, then left, and then right as if she’s having no sense of direction!
“Flu, are you okay!?” I cried.
“I-I’m fine!” Flu replied.
The intense heat of the surroundings made Flu sweat like waterfalls. She may have been protected by the magical barrier of the Speedmage Suit, but she is still vulnerable to the temperature that will affect her mental state. Flu’s condition is like running a marathon at high noon during summer in a tropical country. It is highly exhausting to keep on going.
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Captain Haruka is going faster by the minute. She closed into the 3rd Checkpoint Tower and touched it!
Beep! Point for Captain Haruka, at 1:2!
I accept our defeat in this race. Captain Haruka is a force to be reckoned with. She’s not only the fastest Speedster in Cool Escape Guild, she even has countermeasures to those who dare to challenge her in a race.
But I will not surrender in this fight!
“Coach, what should I do?” Flu asked in a troubled tone. She should have felt that she could not catch up to Captain Haruka.
“Change of plans! We will never win against her in a race! Yield the towers and go to the center of the Triangle!”
“Roger!” Flu affirmed.
Flu was already halfway close to the 3rd Checkpoint Tower, so most spectating Speedmages saw it as a waste when Flu decided to give up on the checkpoints and decides to play as a Striker instead.
However, instead of trying to ambush the opponent by blocking her way, Flu stopped running when she reached the center of the triangle.
Most spectators are asking “What are they doing?” or “Aren’t they going to block Captain Haruka’s way for an ambush?”. It was an unorthodox plan to suddenly stop in the middle of the Triangle. She won’t be able to do anything in there except watch her opponent.
But that was what I was planning. At the center of the Triangle, Flu can watch the opponent freely.
“I’m in position, Coach!” Flu said.
“Now show them the product of your nightly training!”
“Right!” Flu smiled with a determined gaze.
Her azure blue eyes followed the trail of the flaming opponent. When Flu thought that she was ready, she used Rocket Jump to leap up high, and then created an Air Trampoline to stomp on while enhancing her feet with flame magic!
“Here I go!” Flu cried as she was released in midair at a speed that can break the wind barrier!
Swoosh!
“What was that!?” Captain Tezza the navigator uttered.
The pink-haired Speedmage was like a flaming arrow that has been fired by a magical bow. By using the Air Trampoline like a bowstring, and a second Rocket Jump to enhance the force of her jump, she conducted an S-Tier speed spell that only pros can pull off!
“Phoenix Arrow!”
Flu spread out her hand, trying to reach the opponent’s back as she darted at a breakneck speed in midair!
“Watch out!” Captain Tezza cried at her mic.
Due to that split-second notice, Captain Haruka was able to slide downwards to avoid the flying Flu’s strike! She dodged it by hair’s breadth!
“T-That was dangerous!” Captain Haruka muttered. Then she went back on her feet and boosted once again!
The Bloodfire Captain was already near the 1st Checkpoint Tower when Phoenix Arrow was dodged, so there were only a few more meters left for her to score a point! She swiped on the checkpoint with her swift hands and then drifted to preserve her speed!
Beep! Score for Captain Haruka, at 1:3!
Meanwhile, Flu crashed on the southern part of the Triangle due to her launching down like a flaming arrow. Don’t worry, the magical barrier on her Speedmage Suit negated all the damage she would have incurred by doing that suicidal jump. She scratched her head and laughed wryly.
“Tahaha. That was an epic fail.”
“Don’t worry about that, go back to the center and aim for her again!” I said.
“Roger!”
One thing I like about Flu aside from her adorable smiles and contagious energy is that she is way more responsive to my commands, in comparison to Ericka and Cruzo. While being her coach and navigator, I feel like I’m playing a video game with voice commands. She also seemed to be in the same frequency of thinking as me.
Being Flu’s navigator gives me an immersion where I seem to be playing the Speed Battle myself.
“I’m in position, Coach!” Flu notified me as soon as she was at the center of the Triangle.
“Now adjust your elevation scan by five degrees, and aim at one o’clock in advance!”
“Roger!”
Flu bent her knees, ready to use Rocket Jump, while focusing her eyes on the movements of the opponent. This time, the element of surprise is no longer there. Both Captain Haruka and Captain Tezza are watching out for the next Phoenix Arrow.
“Now!” I cried.
Flu jumped upwards once again with Rocket Jump, created an Air Trampoline midair, then used another Rocket Jump to kick into the magic circle! With the force and speed multiplied exponentially, Flu was ready to launch!
“Phoenix Arrow, incoming!” Captain Tezza said as a head’s up!
“Ah, fine!” Captain Haruka muttered, her eyes still focused on touching the next Checkpoint Tower.
“Yaaaah!” Flu launched like a pachinko bullet at another breakneck speed! She soared in midair with her flaming shoes and then spread out her arm aiming to strike the opponent’s back!
However…
“Bloodfire Nitro!” Captain Haruka kicked the ground once again, and she boosted with dark crimson liquid flame spraying to Flu!
Because of the sudden boost, Captain Haruka was able to evade the Phoenix Arrow and managed to get closer to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! By spreading her hand, she secured another point!
Beep! Point for Captain Haruka, with an overwhelming lead of 1:4!
However, the battle is not over yet.
There was a sudden wind burst that made a large hole in the sea of liquid blood flames. And there, Flu has made her appearance in midair, channeling the force of an Air Trampoline! She’s also having her shoes enhanced with flames!
“Here I go!” Flu roared with a smile as she launched forward!