45TH GEAR - STUCK ON A FOOT PINCH
Beep!
A sky-blue magical circle point indicator was made, signaling another score for Ericka!
She has been on the roll now ever since Locke missed the Checkpoint Tower. The white-haired homunculus tried to flee, but it was futile. Every time she makes a step, the slippery ice would just make her slide in random directions!
“Ah,” Locke muttered as she glanced backward. She saw Ericka who is skating towards her rear, ready to strike!
Beep! Another magical circle point indicator!
The score is now 5:4, with Ericka having a lead! Now she is prepared for one more strike to the back of the opponent!
“Yaaaaah!”
Beep!
A blue magical circle point indicator was created once more! Locke has launched away from the Checkpoint Tower, and now she’s spinning like a top!
“Waaaaaah,” Locke shouted in a monotone voice. I think she’s more of a robot than an artificial human.
“One more for good measure!” Ericka charged once again as she kicked on her territorial ice.
But before she could touch the opponent’s back, the whistle was blown!
Fweeeeeeeeeeeet!
“Match over! The winner is Ericka Azure!” The referee proclaimed.
The crowd cheered upon witnessing the great performance of the two Speedmages. All the people are clapping on Ericka’s win, even Vincent himself. Ericka and Locke approached the viewing stage for navigators.
“Nice game.” Vincent greeted my Prez with a smile.
“Heeeh? So now you acknowledge my skills?” Ericka held her hips confidently.
“It was Jonathan’s tactics that won your game though.” Vincent followed up with a grin.
“W-Well, I know about that!” Ericka pouted.
“Hahaha.” Vincent laughed lightly. “But I will acknowledge your skills. Just a little bit.”
“You better watch out. My fight tomorrow will be against you if you win against Haruka Firangel. Make sure not to be eliminated in the first round, oh, Speedmage Champion.” Ericka teased with a grin.
“Noted.”
Vincent turned around and started to walk, while the robotic silver-haired homunculus stared at us with her golden eyes. She looks like an adorable doll with no hint of emotions.
“Good game. The end.”
Locke bowed and then made her exit by following Vincent.
Ericka and I are just left dazzled. We do not know how to react. It feels weird to be greeted in a robotic tone, kind of like you’re talking to Magical Intelligence installed on a magical computer.
<>
It was Cruzo’s battle next.
Our fat panda sophomore will be against Amaryllis Vosconovitc, the sole daughter of a multi-trillionaire duke of the empire. I just searched about her on the magicnet using my magic tablet, and I learned that she owns the school she was enrolled in. Talk about self-serving.
Amaryllis Vosconovitc is a teenage girl with Western origins. It can be seen from her silver blonde hair that has a princess-like twirly hairstyle. She is wearing a white gothic Speedmage Suit that would often be mistaken as an Alice in Wonderland cosplay.
Her Speedmage Shoes is Pegasus Extreme model, which are silver white boots with red soles. It has wings on its sides where the contrail streaks are created. That kind of Speedmage Shoes is well-built for Strikers as it is designed to do sharp turns while minimizing friction and speed loss.
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Both Speedmages took their ready position on the 1st Checkpoint Tower. While waiting for the referee’s mark, they had a short chat which I heard from my headphones.
“Wohohoho!” Amaryllis laughed like a rich girl villain. “You should concede now, fatso! You will be doing both of us a favor if you stop wasting my time! Wohohohoho!”
“I won’t! I have determination and guts!” Cruzo beamed with a thumbs up. “Let’s do our best, okay?!”
“Wohohoho! You’re so funny that I want to lock you up in the zoo where you belong! Wohohoho!” Amaryllis said.
I kind of envy Cruzo’s optimism. He’s the opposite of Ericka who easily falls on provocations. Cruzo’s defense mechanism in trash talks is to stay calm, cheerful, and positive. He’s the kind of person who would throw bread at you if you hit him with a stone.
The referee finally approached the 1st Checkpoint Tower and raised his hand. Both Speedmages crouched in their ready positions, channeling mana on their feet.
“On your marks… Get set… Go!”
Fweeeeeet!
“Earth Accel!” Cruzo made the first move as he dashed forward with heavy stomps, leaving yellow contrails on his tail!
“Water Accel!” Amaryllis tiptoed, and water started to gush away around her Speedmage Shoes! She did not even need to run! She is standing still, and her Water Accel accelerates her like a speed boat!
This is the first time I’ve seen a Speedmage like that. She just let her water magic move her while she is not lifting her foot. She is just a few steps away from Cruzo, so I need to notify him right away.
“Cruzo! Focus on shaking her off on your tail! Speed up!” I said.
“Alright!” Cruzo made a heavy stomp on the ground and channeled mana on his foot! “Bulldoze!”
The panda man blasted with a sonic boom and a crater, running at his full speed like a raging bull. Bulldoze is his fastest speed spell but it makes it hard to control, that is why it is mostly used in racing toward the checkpoint.
Cruzo made it to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower first! He touched it before drifting and dashing forward with another go!
Beep!
Point for Cruzo at 1:0!
“Keep on going at full speed and keep your distance!” I said through the mic.
“Yes, coach!” Cruzo nodded as she boosted with a second Bulldoze spell!
While Cruzo is stomping his way towards the 3rd Checkpoint Tower, Amaryllis touches the 1st Checkpoint Tower!
Beep!
Point for Amaryllis, tied at 1:1!
I turned to look at Amaryllis’ navigator, who seemed to be a scrawny pale white man with a clean bald head and an M-shaped mustache. He is also using a left monocle Mystic Glass.
“Milady, the opponent is near the 3rd Checkpoint Tower. I suggest making a detour.”
“Wohohoho! It doesn’t matter, Alfred! I will ambush that fatso right in front!” Amaryllis said as she went back to the 1st Checkpoint Tower.
Cruzo managed to reach the 3rd Checkpoint Tower, and tapped it with his hand!
Beep!
Point for Cruzo, at 2:1!
Now the real battle begins here. Amaryllis is twenty meters in front of the next Checkpoint Tower. Cruzo is already almost out of stamina as I can hear his heavy panting on my side of the headphone. He still has mana to cast two or more big speed spells, but I don’t think his body can handle it.
“Proceed cautiously with your normal speed,” I said.
“Got it!” Cruzo nodded as he used his Earth Accel to follow the line toward the 1st Checkpoint Tower.
Amaryllis just had this grin on her face. She’s just standing still, but her Water Accel is on standby mode- it just keeps splashing water on the ground. The fact that she is aggregating mana on her legs quite concerns me.
Two hundred meters. Cruzo is closing in by the minute. He is still drawing breath heavily, but he already replenished his stamina. His endurance improved a lot since the training camp. With just a few seconds, he will be ready to speed up with Bulldoze again.
One hundred meters. Amaryllis widened her grin, like a crescent moon smile of a Cheshire cat. She is planning something.
“Swerve to the left and use Bulldoze straight to the enemy!” I said to Cruzo.
“Right!”
Cruzo turned to the left and then stomped his feet on the ground! Earth debris went flying as soon as he made his second stomp!
“Bulldoze!”
Thirty meters! Cruzo is rushing like a rhinoceros ready to demolish anyone in his way! If this tactic works, Cruzo might be able to push Amaryllis due to the repelling effect of the magical barriers!
Three meters! Cruzo was sure to hit the opponent! This will be a head-on collision!
“Raaaaaaah!” Cruzo cried with a bull charge.
All of a sudden, all the water energy on Amaryllis’ feet stopped. She raised one of her legs to the left like a gymnast, and then-
“Dolphin Strike!”
Amaryllis made a perfect crescent turn to avoid Cruzo’s head-on charge, and she immediately slide through his back with the help of water energy emanating from her raised leg! With a swift swipe of her hand, Cruzo’s back was struck down!
Beep! A blue magical circle point indicator was created!
Point for Amaryllis, now tied at 2:2!
“Waaaah!” Cruzo cried as he was pushed by the repelling effect!
“Wohohoho! I’m not finished yet, fatso!” Amaryllis jumped in midair and swiped her fingers to create a blue magical circle! It was a Water Trampoline!
Swoosh!
Amaryllis overtook Cruzo in a blink of an eye, then she made another quick U-turn to strike Cruzo’s back!
Beep! Another magical circle point indicator manifested!
Point for Amaryllis at 2:3!
“Shit!” I clenched my fists. It was a bad move that we decided to charge against her head-on. Now that Cruzo is stuck in a tag fight, he is now on a pinch! He has to get away as fast as possible!
“Raaaaah!” Cruzo roared out loud as he raised his foot. “Earthshatter!”
Boom!
Earth chunks flew all around the Triangle, and he managed to ward off Amaryllis due to the impact! However, one more problem remains…
His foot is stuck on the ground, and he cannot pull it off!