39TH GEAR - TERRORIZING MADE IT ALL BETTER

The joint training camp is over, so the next day was back to our daily grind in Saint Crusade Academy. The morning turned out to be normal: Flu and I met up at the Eastern Beachfront, and we decided to take the train as transportation to go to school. Flu seemed to be sleepy early this morning, so she didn’t have any energy left to grab my hand and dash like an idiot.

Actually, I was fifty percent to blame for her being sleepy this early in the morning. You see, after we get off the train yesterday, she asked me to train her concerning some speed spells in the Speedmage Tactics book I lent to her.

At first, I was hesitant because we have been practicing in the camp and even done some nightly training during the last four days. But Flu’s eagerness to get better is somewhat contagious. It’s not like I’m doing the heavy work during our nightly training anyway, so I just let her do whatever she wants.

Plus, trying out speed spells from the book is fun. Sometimes Flu’s magic explodes, but that is not my concern. We tried practicing at the Eastern Beachfront until midnight, and nobody complained since there are no houses nearby. I guess that will be our venue of practice from now on if the Triangle in Saint Crusade is not available.

Back to the present…

When we arrived at the school, Flu was still out of energy. I dragged her until she settled down on her seat, then I also sat on my respective chair.

“Good morning, Fluonessia!” One of her friends greeted her.

“Good morning…” Flu waved with a smile, then went back to sleep. “Zzzzzzz.”

I sighed as I looked at the windows on my left. Our first period for this day is English, which means Miss Terror- I mean, Professor Azure will be lecturing us early in the morning. I just hope Flu stops dozing off when our professor takes the front table of the classroom.

“Good morning class.”

Speak of the devil. It is Professor Azure, still as menacing with her smile as ever. She laid down her books and notepads and then scanned the classroom. Students hurriedly went to their respective seats and behaved like good dogs.

“Can I have everyone pass up the homework I gave last week?” Professor Azure said.

“W-We have homework!?” Flu gasped. She seemed to regain all her energy just by hearing Professor Azure’s words!

Wait, wait, wait! We are absent during the four-day joint training camp! We have no way of knowing that homework is due today!

“Then after you pass up that homework, pass up that five-page essay.” Professor Azure commanded.

“E-Essay!?” Flu shrieked once again. Her eyes are round and wide and it was obvious that she did not know about that either!

“Then pass up the report paper, the self-made reviewer, and the second essay.” Professor Azure commented.

“Gah!” Flu cried.

What the heck!? Nobody told me that there are several activities due today! Oh wait, nobody will tell me because I am an antisocial asshole. I have no friends!

If there is somebody who can know that there are activities due today, it was Flu! But Flu is an idiot! She would never think about asking her friends as her mind is always on Speed Battles!

“Now, before we take our first pop midterm exams…”

“We have exams!?” Flu exclaimed with her eyes and mouth wide open. Now I’m just as confused as her!

“...I need everybody to get to their assigned groups to get ready to present their group projects.” Professor Azure said.

Flu is not even reacting anymore. She is now stunned like a magical robot, only uttering “Awawawawawa!” in her mouth as a form of coping mechanism as her brain overloaded due to all the activities we just missed.

She is so unlike me, who is still keeping my cool but I’ve been swearing a lot inside my mind. Shit shit shit shit shit! Miss Terror will chew us for this!

Professor Azure smiled. “Now, is there any dipshit who has been absent and was not assigned to a group? Raised your hand.”

I’m not a delinquent who skips class for no reason, but I still raised my hand because I do not have an assigned group. I’m certainly sure that Flu is not either. It is all the joint training camp’s fault for not being able to do all those activities.

“One, two, three, four.” Professor Azure counted. “Okay, put your hands down, you dipshits. You all automatically get a failing grade for the subject!”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Ack!” Flu collapsed on the floor due to a heart attack!

<>

Apparently, for the few days that we were out training in the camp, several things happened in the Academy that made it a lot more interesting: First, the academy was attacked by magical terrorists, and a mysterious masked magician superhero saved the day. Then, the school dean cast a spell that turned the whole campus into a fantasy forest. After that, a necromancer revived Michael Jackson and had him perform in the school cafeteria.

I knew that a joint training camp with the other Speedmages of Saint Crusade was a fun experience, but darn, I wished I was here in the school when it all happened. I hate it when I come to school and there is just a boring day, sitting for almost five hours listening to a lecture, and Professor Azure terrorizing us first thing in the morning. The only redeeming hour of a school day is the club activities where we spend our time practicing Speed Battles.

Anyway, we got off the hook about our subjects failing when Flu and I explained our situation after the class. Professor Azure instead gave us a huge 20-page essay homework as an alternative to those activities we missed. So I guess everything is fine.

I am starting to get the hang of Professor Azure’s personality. She is giving a brave scary front to her students so that they will give their efforts to study. I also read from my father’s book that his training was a bit more of a militaristic approach, and he used that technique to forge Eaglecrest Speedmages to fight till the championships. I think I will try adapting to that as a coach for the Merry Knights.

I learned a lot from the joint training camp about my Speedmages’ strengths and weaknesses, so I have prepared a specific training regimen for the specific Speedmage I handle. And I get to test them every time during our guild activities.

After the classes, I summoned the Merry Knights Guild Speedmages to start the revised training regime. Prez, Cruzo, and Flu stood in line as I walk in their front like a military officer.

“Just because we won all games in the training camp doesn’t mean we will have to celebrate. The grind never stops! And those people you beat will come at you and stab you in the back! For that reason, we will have more intense training than what we had in the camp!”

“Awesome!” Flu energetically pumped her fists.

“No, Flu! From now on, you will only speak when spoken to. And the first and last words from your big mouths will be the word ‘coach’. Do you understand!?”

“Coach, yes, coach!” Flu saluted.

“Jeez, do we need to do this?” Prez groaned.

“Did you say anything, Prez?” I made a deathly glare at Ericka. I made sure to stare at her very soul through her eyes.

“N-No, Coach.” Ericka slightly whimpered.

“Bullshit, I cannot hear you!”

“Coach, no, coach!” Ericka answered.

“From now on, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn. If you survive this training, you will become a Speedmage that is worthy to enter the Regional Speedmage Tournament. Heck, you will have a chance beating Vincent the Teleporting son-of-a-bitch! Do you understand!?”

“Coach, yes, coach!” All three of them answered.

The first is Cruzo. During the training, especially the purely physical ones, he has poor stamina. He also loses control whenever his protective magical barrier is disrupted or when another Speedmage strikes his back. Such a problem can be solved by strengthening his legs and feet, so the solution is purely physical training such as jogging, squats, and jumping rope.

“Gah… hah… hah…”

Cruzo is panting and crying at the same time. The intense physical workouts made him sweat like waterfalls. He has already finished one lap around the Triangle without using any magic, but he appeared to be dying like an asthmatic.

“Can I… rest… for a… second? … Please?” Cruzo begged. He blinded me with a beam that reflected the afternoon sunlight.

I stood stiff and hid my hand on my back like a drill sergeant. Just because he is my senior doesn’t mean I will go easy on him, but I will still give him a chance.

“Okay, Mister Laprazi. Tell me what is in your pocket and I will only give you ten more laps.” I said.

“T-Ten laps? Isn’t it a bit extreme?” Cruzo cried.

“Wrong answer, Mister Laprazi! One hundred laps for you!” I shouted.

“W-Whaaat?” Cruzo cried. “Wait, uh, I have my wallet.”

“Wrong answer, Mister Laprazi! One thousand laps!”

“I-I have my magic phone?”

“Ten thousand laps, Mister Laprazi!”

“I have spaghetti!” Cruzo showed his pocket drenched with tomato sauce, cheese, and crushed pasta. That’s gross.

“Get your ass in the Triangle and give me ten thousand laps!” I shouted.

“Whaaaat!?” Cruzo groaned. “What is the correct answer then?”

“Your pocket carries the name of Merry Knights Guild! If you sit your ass on the ground, you will be sitting on the name of the Merry Knights Guild! If you don’t drag your heavy ass running, then Merry Knights Guild will not be able to move! Do you understand now, Mister Laprazi!?”

“Coach, yes, coach!” Cruzo saluted. Then he proceeded to force himself to make another lap.

Next is Ericka. Ericka is almost a perfect Striker Speedmage as she has no problem physically and magically. She has superior agility, stamina, and mana capacity against Flu and Cruzo. The only problem she got is her mentality of being an emotional whack when under pressure.

Now, I won’t be able to talk trash to her again, especially in tournaments. I have heard that the officials there are strict about being provocative, especially on the coach’s side. I won’t be able to humiliate her all the time during Speed Battles, so I have to drill it into her mind that she is useless.

I went to grab two clipboards and slapped her face in between. Then I shouted out loud for her to get used to humiliation.

“What are you!?”

“Uh, do we have to do this?” Ericka groaned. “You’re hurting my face!”

“This is necessary for your useless brain to know that you are useless!” I shouted.

“Stop shouting at me, I’m your president!” Ericka fought back verbally.

“And I am your coach, and this is practice time! Can I be in charge for a while!?” I shouted again, this time I glared at her ferociously. I also strengthened my squeezing force on the two clipboards, making her cheeks flat!

“Ow! Owowow! Jeez! Fine!” Ericka cried. “Stop squeezing it!”

“I can’t hear you, Miss Azure! What did you say!?”

“C-Coach, yes, coach!”

“Good! So answer me, what are you!?”

“A useless president sandwich!”

“I can’t hear you!” I squeezed once again.

“I’m a USELESS PRESIDENT SANDWICH!”

“I will call you Useless Prez from now on! Do you like that name?”

“Of course not!” Prez cried.

In response, I squeezed the clipboards harder! "Do. You. Like. That. Name?"

“A-Ack! Coach, yes coach!” Ericka submitted.

I think I have a talent for becoming a military drill sergeant. Heck, this is so fun too!