69TH GEAR - THE GOD OF SPEED’S CHALLENGE

Swoosh!

Flu also made a swift jumpstart, albeit a little bit slower than Professor Azure’s Crystaldust Accel. Pink wind contrails were left on her tracks, and the glittery stardusts showered around in an arc like a rainbow.

In just a matter of five seconds, she managed to reach the Checkpoint Tower with much accuracy and precision!

Beep!

“I did it! I can use speed spells again!” Flu cried with joy.

All of us were astounded when we saw how fast Flu went from the starting line toward the Checkpoint Tower. We also adored the sparkling contrail streaks she unleashed with her newfound speed spell.

“Now try to do a lap.” Professor Azure smirked. “Try not to be left behind!”

Professor Azure blasted once again, this time to the next Checkpoint Tower. Her Crystaldust Accel left blue glittering contrail streaks that made the Triangle a sparkling show.

“R-Roger!” Flu jollily said as she boosted forward with Stardust Accel!

Those sparkling pink contrails mixed with the blue glittery contrails, formed a spiral of pink and blue. It was like a two-toned rainbow that would give smiles on the faces of all who are witnessing this demonstration.

Beep! Professor Azure touched the Checkpoint Tower.

Beep! Flu managed to catch up and touched the same Checkpoint Tower!

I made a small fist pump for this small victory of Flu. After days of not being able to use speed spells correctly, she finally did it! Furthermore, her pink stardust magic seems to rival Vincent the Teleporter’s Photon Accel speed!

“Awesooooome!” Flu pumped her fists and giggled. “I am way faster than before! I feel like I can do anything!”

Flu started to lap around the Triangle, touching Checkpoint Towers along the way. The pink stardusts showered around the imaginary lines between the Checkpoint Towers.

“Wheeeeeeee!” Flu screamed in joy as she dashed all around, her arms spread out like an airplane.

“Hahaha. Look how excited she is when she discovered a new speed spell.” Professor Azure said in a cool tone as she approached us.

“Big Sis, are you sure about this?” Ericka said in a worried tone. She held her waist and tilted her head. “You just taught a Fusion Magic that is meant for third years. Not even I could pull it off without drawbacks.”

I heard that word back in the training camp. Those absurdly difficult spells to cast that you have to combine two elements altogether are called Fusion Magic. One great example of it was Captain Haruka’s Bloodfire Accel. She combines the element of blood and fire on her catalyst, which are her Speedmage Shoes, and uses it to unleash extraordinary speed.

Professor Azure has proficiency in ice and wind magic. She simultaneously used those elements to create Crystaldust Accel, in which only a few world-class Speedmage could do. You need to have powerful magical circuits and exemplary mana capacity to use them.

In the case of Flu, she was able to mix her Wind Accel and Fire Accel simultaneously, creating a new elemental speed spell: Stardust Accel.

“It will be fine. It is Miss Asahime we are talking about. And she will definitely need it for the National Speedmage Tournament.” Professor Azure said.

“But Stardust Accel?” Ericka held her hips and scrunched her face. “Isn’t the Stardust series confined to the Royal Blood of Agartha?”

“There are few people on the Eastern Islands that came from Agartha, so it comes as no surprise to me. I had a hunch that she has royal blood in her veins.” Professor Azure smirked.

“Oh well.” Ericka relaxed her shoulders and sighed. “I was just worried about Flu, but I think she will be fine. Especially that we have a doting coach here~”

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I was astounded when the spotlight was immediately put on me. I looked at the smug Ericka and Professor Azure that had a reassuring smile.

“Why did you two suddenly include me in your sisterly conversation?” I grumpily asked.

“Don’t pretend that you are not happy about Flu’s evolution.” Ericka teased. “I saw you hiding a fist pump when Flu was able to use speed spells again.”

“W-Well…” I turned away to hide my blushing face. “It’s just natural for a coach to be supportive of his players, duh. It’s all part of the job.”

“Is it though?” Ericka smirked.

“It is!” I cried!

This useless president is grinding my gears! I want to slap her right in front of her big sister, but I’m sure that will get me expelled or worse, even killed. So I tried to suppress myself by clenching my fists.

“Coach!”

Flu’s sweet voice entered my ears. She finally went back to us and smiled right in front of my face.

“Did you see it!? Did you see it!? I can use speed spells again! I am so happy!” Flu cried.

“Y-Yeah.” I tried to be frugal with my words. I have a blushing face right now, and the two sisters Miss Terror and Useless Prez are just smirking in the background while watching.

Flu immediately grabbed my hand and shook it while hopping up and down. It felt like she was trying to dislocate the joints on my elbows and shoulders!

“I’m so so happy, Coach! I feel like I can fulfill our promise once again! I will become the Speedmage Champion! For you! And for Merry Knights! And for Saint Crusade! And for the whole world! I will be the Goddess of Speed and beat Lilith! Yaaaaaay!”

Flu swung her arms up in the air and struck a pose.

“You’re now 100% back to your old cheerful self, huh?”

A familiar voice entered the scene. When we looked at the source, we saw two hunks with brown hair and blue eyes. One of them is short, but the other one is tall. It was the Shadowseek Brothers from Eaglecrest: Vincent the Teleporter and Justine the Tactician.

“Vince?” I muttered.

They both have smiles on their faces that seemed to hint that they must have watching Flu’s Stardust Accel from afar.

“Good Afternoon, Professor Azure, Professor Dakedavra.” Vincent and Justine bowed. “And good afternoon to you too, Merry Knights.”

Professor Azure returned the greeting with a cool smile, but Professor Dakedavra’s response was creepy. She was laughing “Huehuehue, here come the two best specimens!” while having this menacing glare on her eyes and a disgusting drooling effect from her mouth. Somebody should arrest our school nurse already!

Suddenly, a jolt of memory slashed through my brain. I almost forgot about the news, that Vincent would be retiring from the tournament and leaving Saint Crusade altogether. It was the main reason why I went to the Eaglecrest Club Building, but thanks to Gaylord and Lilith, I completely missed the opportunity to ask questions.

“M-Mister Vincent.” Flu immediately settled down and erased her smile.

“Vince,” I muttered. “Is it true that you will be relinquishing your position at the tournament?”

“Oh, that.” Vincent scratched his head. He smiled without a care in the world and then said “Yes.”

“Why?” Flu asked as she held her throbbing chest.

“It was a personal matter, but I guess I will be indulging you guys,” Vincent said. “I am going to Yamato Continent to attend to my mother’s needs.”

“Your… mother?” I muttered.

I can barely recall the face of Vincent’s mother, since the last time I saw her was when I was five years old. And considering that the medical amnesia spell deleted almost all of my memories before that, I could barely imagine what she looks like. But I remember that she was always on a wheelchair.

“We received word from our grandpa that she is suffering from a severe illness. That is why we have to leave the country and try to start a new life there with our mother by our side.” Justine said.

“Oh… okay,” I muttered. “I thought you two are disappointed about what happened in the Regionals.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jon.” Vincent chuckled. “I got a fair number of losses in Speed Battles too, and that fight with Lilith is something I do not frustrate over. In fact, I was more frustrated when Lilith beat you two.”

Vincent shortly glanced at Flu, which prompted the pink-haired Speedmage to answer.

“Tahahaha! I’m sorry about that, Mister Vincent! It was my fault! If I wasn’t such a failure, we could have won-”

“No, it was my fault, Flu.” I cut her words. “If I was a better coach, then I-”

“I don’t care whose fault that is.” Vincent glared. “All I care about now is that I have given the mantle to you two. Now that you guys are given a chance for revenge, make sure to win the National Speedmage Tournament for me.”

Flu and I looked at each other. We both smiled and then nodded with our answer.

“Roger!”

“Good. That is the best response I can ever get to you guys.” Vincent gave a relieved smile. “The true battle starts after having lost, so godspeed to you guys.”

“Thank you very much!” Flu bowed over and over.

“Thank you. We will never let you down.” I said.

“Oh, but that ticket to the National Speedmage Tournament is not for free, Jon,” Vincent said with a smirk.

“Huh?”

All of a sudden, the air went cold even though the afternoon sun is bathing us with its warm presence. I can see a scary glint in Vincent and Justine’s blue eyes. Shadows loomed upon their very figures.

Vincent removed his black fingerless glove and dropped it on the floor, right in front of Fluonessia and me.

Is this… what I think it is?

“Fluonessia Asahime… and Jonathan Wardenorth… I challenge you two in a Speed Battle!” Vincent said with a determined smile and gaze.

"W-Whaaaaat!?" Flu and I exclaimed.

Vincent spread out his ungloved hand and gave a peace sign.

“Two months. I will give you two months to master Stardust Accel. Step forth, defeat me, command me to step aside, and show me that you are worthier than I to become the Speedmage Champion. Then the title will be yours to become the Goddess of Speed.”

Flu and I looked again at each other, this time with a wide smile on our faces. Once again, we answered in sync.

“We accept your challenge!”