38TH GEAR - CANNONBALL BUTT STRIKE!
“Wind Accel!”
In the nick of time, Flu snatched me from the front of the bamboo door and dragged me back to the hot pool. Once we were at the waist-deep part of the hot spring, she dipped my head unto the water with her two slender arms.
It all happened in just a split second, so I did not even have time to react.
Splash!
Because of Flu’s Wind Accel and my unfortunate dunking on the bath, the ruckus we made created a big swash which almost made the whole bath rain. Smoke also intensified because of all of the sudden movements Flu made to save my ass.
Fortunately for me, Ericka was not looking ahead when she opened the bamboo door. She was looking at the humongous name tag “USELESS PREZ” covering her chest.
“Jeez, why do I have to wear this even at the bath?” Ericka groaned.
“It’s because you are still on the training grounds, and you will have to continue the punishment.” Captain Tezza answered. Then she looked at Flu who seemed to be playing on the water.
Both girls are completely naked by the way. I can still see them even if my head is underwater.
“Huh? Flu?” Ericka asked. “Wasn’t there somebody in front of me right now?”
“A-Ah! I-It’s me! I was about to exit but decided to return to the bath! Tahahaha!” Flu scratched her head.
“So you are all alone here?” Captain Tezza asked.
“Y-Yes, ma’am!” Flu saluted.
“It should be lonely for you to bathe in yourself here. I’ll join you.” Ericka said as she flipped her long blue wavy hair. Her long white legs slowly dipped in the hot water and then she submerged half of her body.
Captain Tezza followed Ericka’s lead as she also dipped her brown legs in the water. Both Ericka and Tezza moaned as they submerged up to their chest. "Aaaaaah~"
“Wawawawawa!” Flu muttered to herself as she panicked.
They are closing into our position, so Flu gently dragged my wrist underwater as she led me a few steps away from the two. I’ve been holding my breath the entire time, and I can’t see any hiding spot since we’re in the middle of the pool!
“Aaaah! This is so relaxing after four days of exhausting training.” Captain Tezza said.
“You said it,” Ericka answered with relief.
Good thing the two just stuck themselves at the edge of the pool. But bad news; I am going out of air! I have to breathe!
“Glug glug glug!” I held my aching chest. I won’t be able to hold out even five seconds! I have to raise my head!
“N-No! Not yet! You’ll be caught at this rate!” Flu cried in a form of a whisper.
“Huh?” Ericka’s attention was caught by our suppressed noise. “Did you say something, Flu?”
“A-Ah! Nothing! I’m just talking to myself! Tahahaha!” Flu faked her words and smile once again.
“You really are a weird fellow.” Captain Tezza chuckled.
It’s now or never, or I will die! My brain is out of oxygen, and I have to go back to the surface to breathe! Just my head will do!
I went behind Flu and raised my head! Then I tried to regain all the air I have lost by panting heavily!
“Gah… hah… hah…”
Flu raised her body so that my head will still be covered from the view of the two Speedmages. I am happy that Flu is covering me up, but we are so close that her soft buttocks are touching my shoulder! My other head will raise at this rate!
“Hmm?” Captain Tezza cocked her head. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Ericka asked.
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“I think I hear a man’s breathing.”
“How can you even identify breathing from a man and a woman?” Ericka smiled in disbelief. She took those words right out of my mouth.
“No, I’m serious. Didn’t you hear that, Miss Fluonessia Asahime?” Captain Tezza looked at the pink-haired beauty.
“M-Me? I don’t hear anything! Maybe it’s just an earthquake! Or maybe a ghost!”
I want to slap my face right now. Flu’s intellect in making excuses is deteriorating every second.
Ericka had these chills in her bones. She hugged herself and gritted her teeth. “Maybe we are getting peeped by the boys!”
“Maybe! Last training camp, I caught three Eaglecrest Speedmages who are peeping at the woman’s bath! I punished them with my ultimate offensive spell: God’s Lightning and they were sent to the hospital! Thereafter, I had them summoned to the Students Affairs Office and got them suspended!” Captain Tezza said.
“Urk.” I gulped. I’m scared shitless! Never mind the suspension and the summons from Miss Terror, I will definitely die if I get caught! As a magicless, I have no magic resistance! And God’s Lightning is said to be able to flatten out mountains!
Ericka cracked her fists and the tone of her voice changed to a more serious one. “Okay, let’s find out who is this pervert sneaking around!”
This is bad!
Wait…
I noticed that Flu is somehow shaking. I can’t see her facial expression because all I can see is her long pink hair and her bare back. She looked like a pressure cooker that is about to explode!
And I was right!
“Kyaaaaaaah!” Flu raised both of her fists as she shouted out loud. “There’s a peeping tom out here!”
W-What is she doing!? Is she going to sell me out!?
All of a sudden, I felt the bath’s temperature rise a hundredfold! The bath is boiling! It produced so much steam that nobody here in this pool can see what was in front anymore!
“Gah! What happened!? I can’t see!” , “The smoke is too thick!” Both Ericka and Tezza complained.
There was a pair of gentle fingers that grabbed my wrist. Then I heard Flu’s voice casting a spell! “Rocket Jump!”
Fwoom!
We were launched at least forty meters upwards from the women’s bath. I looked from below and saw that the whole hot springs dedicated to women are filled with condensed smoke! They might be sounding the fire alarm right now!
“I-I’m sorry, Jon! This is the only way I could think of to save you!” Flu said.
“What was your plan?” I asked.
Flu looked down and immediately saw the building a hundred meters away- the men’s hot springs. She smiled innocently at me. “I’m going to bring you back to the men’s bath!”
When we stopped ascending after forty-five meters altitude, Flu swiped her fingers in the thin air and created an Air Trampoline. Then she cast a protective barrier over my whole body by touching my forehead!
“Use this! I already aimed the Air Trampoline toward the men’s bath! Just kick it and you will crash- I mean, land there safely!” Flu explained.
I don’t mind crashing as Flu just gave me a protective barrier. This is my only way of escaping and returning to the men’s bath, so I have no time to hesitate!
I nodded to Flu and cried. “Thank you, Flu!”
“This is what friends are for! Good luck, Jon!” Flu gave an innocent smile.
Flu guided me by pulling my hand nearer to the Air Trampoline. I raised my legs and kicked on the pink magical circle, then I was launched like a pachinko with a speed of a bullet!
Swoosh!
My descent is like a meteor. Flu’s aim with Air Trampoline has improved a lot since this is the same method of calibrating she used to cast Phoenix Arrow. I am crashing straight into the pool of the men’s bath!
At this moment, I can see several male students enjoying the warm hot bath. There, at the edge of the pool, was the culprit of it all- Vincent Shadowseek. He is the one responsible for playing a prank on me, and now I will have my revenge!
I curled my body and made my naked buttocks the spearhead of my landing. With some aerial movements, I was able to control a bit of my crash landing straight on the unaware Speedmage Champion who is just silently enjoying his bath!
This is my special attack!
“Cannonball Butt Strike!” I shouted out loud.
The moment Vincent opened his eyes, it was too late. My butt is already on his face!
“What the-”
Boom!
Hot showers splattered around the men’s bath, creating confusion and chaos. I don’t mind because I landed safely and Vincent got a taste of karma. That will teach him not to prank me ever again.
<>
The night went on smoothly. The peeping incident was written off by Captain Tezza as they caught nobody sneaking in the women’s bath. They also noted Flu’s extreme behaviors at that time as her freaking out and overreacting. Furthermore, Vincent slept with a concussion on his face. It was the best night ever as it ended all too well for me.
I had a good night's rest.
The next morning was goodbye time. After having our breakfast, all of us prepared for departure. We are busily packing up our things when we had an unusual visitor.
Brown hair, blue eyes, white skin, and thin yet well-built muscles on his body. It was Vincent the Teleporter himself, the Speedmage Champion, who took his precious time and approached us first thing in the morning.
“Good morning.” Vincent waved.
When I saw the plasters on his face, I was hardly containing my laughter. I finally had the time to take him way less seriously.
“First of all, thank you for participating in this joint training camp. I had to say that it was more productive than I expected because the Merry Knights are here.” Vincent said.
“Hmph! Do you think so?” Ericka flicked her hair and crossed her arms. Now she’s trying to provoke the champion.
“Of course.” Vincent gave a wry smile. “I’m sorry for being provocative the entire training camp.”
“Yeah, I know that provocation is part of the game,” Ericka said with a confident smile. “Next time, one of our Speedmage will beat you.”
“I am looking forward to that,” Vincent answered with his version of an assertive smile. Then he turned to me. “The next time we meet will be the Regional Speedmage Tournament.”
“Yeah!” I said as I offered a fist bump. “See you at the finals.”
“Ditto,” Vincent said as he bumped his knuckles with mine.
The Speedmage Champion’s gaze turned to Fluonessia who has these blazing eyes of determination. Vincent smirked and returned the same glaring stare before he left.