54TH GEAR - HOW TO OUTSMART AN OUTSMARTING
“Haaaah…”
I did a big sigh as I put on the telepathic headset. I want to calm myself in this situation but the noisy ambulance siren makes it impossible. Even if the audience is silent, even if the people here on the viewing stage did not utter a word, I still feel like I’m in a mess.
“Will Prez be okay?” Flu asked through the mic with a worried tone. She was already at the 1st Checkpoint Tower with her opponent Amaryllis Vosconovitc, just waiting for the referee to come back.
“She will be fine. Cruzo said that it was just a regular Tuesday for Prez to puke out that much.” I said as I looked from behind.
An ambulance and some medical spellcasters were tending to Ericka’s needs. Cruzo is also there talking with the healers. Soon after, they decided that Ericka need not be delivered to the hospital, so they just sent Prez to the infirmary tent outside the arena.
I’m not worried about Ericka. I’m more worried about the reputation of this godforsaken cursed guild. We are on an unlucky streak today: Flu waking up late, I got electrocuted, and Ericka puking out on live TV to our shame. What’s next, Cruzo will get diarrhea?
I shook my head to regain my focus. I have to set my mind on the Speed Battle at hand. I talked to my Speedmage through the mic.
“Flu, focus on the match. Your opponent is Amaryllis Vosconovitc, a Striker Class Speedmage. She beat Cruzo on the first round, so be wary of her water spells.”
Flu clapped her cheeks and then smiled with determination. “Got it, Coach!”
Suddenly, I heard the blonde rich girl's opponent speak right beside Flu.
“Wohohohoho! What a shame for your guild and your school! Your president must have seen me as a force to be reckoned with, and she puked out of hopelessness! She knew you can never beat me! Wohohoho!” Amaryllis laughed like a real villainess.
Flu just gave the opponent a determined gaze and a smile devoid of despair. “Let’s have a good match, Ms. Vosconovitc! I will avenge Sir Cruzo!”
“Oh, you mean that fat panda I beat in the first round? Wohohoho! You will get your revenge... in your dreams!”
That sheltered rich girl is starting to get on my nerves...
The referee finally went to the 1st Checkpoint Tower, readied his whistle, and raised his hand. Amaryllis’ trash-talking stopped, but she has this confident smirk on her face.
“We will now proceed with the third match for this day." The referee said. "On your marks… Get set… Go!”
Fweeeeeeet!
“Wind Accel!” Flu had a good head start as she managed to activate her speed spell a millisecond earlier! Pink wind contrails followed around her as she rush towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower!
“Water Accel!” Amaryllis stood still and she let her water magic drive her towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower like a motorboat!
Since Counter Speedmages have greater average speeds than Striker Speedmages, Flu is taking the lead! After a few seconds, the pink-haired Speedmage closed into the 2nd Checkpoint Tower and touched it!
Beep!
Point for Fluonessia, at 1:0!
“Keep it up, Flu! Try going as far as you can and wait for the ambush!” I said.
“Yes, Coach!” Flu excitedly replied.
While Flu is already racing to get to the 3rd Checkpoint Tower, Amaryllis managed to approach the 2nd Checkpoint Tower and then she touched it!
Beep!
Point for Amaryllis, at 1:1!
As soon as Amaryllis took her first point, she immediately swerved and went to the line between the 3rd Checkpoint Tower and the 1st Checkpoint Tower. As she prepared for her ambush there, Flu was able to reach the 3rd Checkpoint Tower and touch it to score a point!
Beep!
Point for Fluonessia, at 2:1!
Now the climax starts here. For Flu to score the next point, she could either try a feint and then go for the 1st Checkpoint Tower, or engage in a tag fight with Amaryllis. Both options are viable as Flu is a Counter Speedmage.
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“That will be the last point you will ever score in this match! Wohohoho!” Amaryllis stood tall before the 1st Checkpoint Tower with her hands on her hips.
“Flu, go to the center of the Triangle!” I said.
“Right!” Flu nodded and then she boosted towards the center of the battlefield. When she was in position, she stopped running and gazed toward the opponent.
“Wohoho! I know what you’re planning. I’ve seen your matches before. You’re going to hit me with that lame arrow of yours, isn’t that right?” Amaryllis smirked.
I did not wait for Flu to answer as I immediately gave out the command. “Do it!”
“Roger!” Flu shouted in full spirits as she jumped up, created an Air Trampoline, and stepped on it with two feet while enhancing it with fire magic! “Phoenix Arrow!”
Flu surged in midair like a blazing missile toward the opponent!
Meanwhile, Amaryllis raised her left leg and spread out her hands like a ballerina. She focused water energy on her left leg and then shouted her spell out loud to cast it! “Dolphin Strike!”
Amaryllis looped around with a blue water wall tailing at her. This spell was used to deflect Cruzo’s head-on charge back during the first round. It was a quick reflex spell that repels any incoming attacks. And considering that water magic has an advantage over fire magic, Flu’s Phoenix Arrow will be extinguished once she was hit!
However…
We have already accounted for that. We practiced last night how to quickly change the trajectory of Phoenix Arrow and use it not for striking the opponent’s back, but for chasing down Checkpoint Towers. Since Speedmages in this tournament has seen Phoenix Arrow as a means to strike the opponent’s back, they will never expect it to be used as a means to touch a Checkpoint Tower!
Flu swiped her left hand in the thin air, and a magical Air Trampoline materialized! She swiftly kicked it with her left foot to slightly change the trajectory of her flight!
“What the-” Amaryllis gasped as she realized that her Dolphin Strike hit nothing at all! And she was more surprised to see that Flu is not going after her back!
Beep!
Flu managed to touch the 1st Checkpoint Tower!
Point for Fluonessia, at 3:1!
“I did it!” Flu celebrated. Then she drifted and continued her Wind Accel in the chase for the 2nd Checkpoint Tower.
All of a sudden…
“Grrrraaaaaaaah!” Amaryllis burst into tears due to anger. Her twirly blonde hair even started to stand up, as if it were a sentient snake like a gorgon. She is splashing around magical water because of this outrage! “You are pissing me off!”
Wait, what happened to that confident Wohohoho laugh? Well anyway, she has now succumbed to her emotions, which will throw her out of her own game. Sooner or later, she will make mistakes that we can exploit.
“Graaaaaaah!” Amaryllis roared like a shark as she took a shortcut and attempted to ambush Flu in her tracks!”
“Flu, slow down and let her catch up. This is where you apply Prez’s teachings!”
“Okay, Coach!” Flu nodded. I saw her having this slightly worried face. Maybe she felt bad for angering that rich bitch opponent of hers?
After three seconds, Amaryllis overtook Flu and blocked her way. In response, Flu completely halted running and watched her opponent’s movements.
“You think you outsmarted me, aren’t you? You think I’m an idiot!” Amaryllis roared.
“U-Um, Miss Vosconovitc-”
“Shut up! If you think you’re so smart, then I will outsmart you! I will outsmart you outsmarting me! Woooohohohohohoho!” Amaryllis laughed while still in a rage.
Suddenly, Amaryllis circled Flu with tall water contrails tailing around her. The angered rich girl circled and circled in a loop until she finally created a Whirlpool, with Flu trapped at the center!
“A-Amazing! So this is the original Whirlpool spell that Captain Tezza mimicked using her lightning magic!” Flu’s eyes glittered.
“This is not the time to be amazed” I shouted to the mic. “Watch out for her, she is going to strike your back!”
“R-Right!” Flu focused back on her surroundings. She looked left and right, her eyes watching every movement of her opponent.
I counted for the loops per second. Amaryllis manages to make a full revolution per 0.8 seconds. This Whirlpool is way slower than Captain Tezza’s Lightning Whirlpool revolution, so I am confident that Flu can dodge it once Amaryllis strikes.
I also counted for speech delays inside my mind, and then I finally gave my advice.
“Count to three, and then charge towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower!” I said.
“Yes, Coach!” Flu nodded as she started to murmur under her breath. “One, two, three!”
Flu boosted forward with her Wind Accel spell! With that perfect timing, she will be able to get away from the eye of the whirlpool and pass through without any problems!
“Got you!” Amaryllis shouted as she drifted and charged towards Flu’s back! She is going to strike it!
However, Flu was already anticipating that attack. She jumped upwards and made a backflip like a graceful gymnast! And then in midair, she swiped her hand to create an Air Trampoline and stepped on it!
“Yaaaaah!” Flu cried as she tries to strike her opponent’s back!
“Wohohoho! I got you again!” Amaryllis laughed as if she planned to make Flu target her back all along. She raised her leg and then water energy flew through it! “Dolphin Strike!”
Amaryllis made a quick turn while bathing in her magical water contrails! She is sure to deflect Flu away! And once Flu is discombobulated by the Dolphin Strike’s stunning effect, Amaryllis will be free to strike her opponent’s back as much as she wants.
That’s what she planned all along.
But we have prepared a counter plan for that.
Last night, Ericka showed a speed spell called Walrus Punch, which is an A-Tier Spell used by ice adepts. It involves coating one of your limbs with elemental energy to enhance its speed. It is the same principle as Dolphin Strike where Amaryllis gathers water energy on one of her legs to make a quick loop.
Ericka’s Walrus Punch is about coating your arm with ice energy and then rapidly releasing it with a semicircle spin. However, a Walrus Punch that fully covers the fist is an offensive spell, which is banned in Speed Battles. To use it in a Speed Battle, the energy coating must only involve the elbow and the shoulder of the caster. It needs precise control to be used.
Prez wanted Flu to make her version of it, but by using wind and fire magic simultaneously. The wind will enhance the fire, and the fire will propel her at an extraordinary speed while canceling out any elemental magic it comes across.
And guess what? Flu succeeded to create her version of Walrus Punch using the combined force of fire and wind magic!
The name of the spell is…
“Phoenix Talon!”