74TH GEAR - THE VICTOR AND THE VANQUISHED OF LOVE
Cruzo’s transformation was so drastic that I could not recognize him as the kind of big fat panda sophomore. His body is now bulked up with muscles, and there is smoke coming out from each of his pores. With the help of my mystic glasses, I realized that he is burning down his fat using fire magic on his veins to increase his mana capacity and stamina.
His smiles are no longer a sign of positivity. He is now smiling out of pure desperation and wrath. He is angry, not at the opponent, but at his inability to draw out raw power from himself.
Magma coated Cruzo’s Speedmage Shoes. The sulfur smoke tensed up as he bent his knees, ready for a full charge towards the 1st Checkpoint Tower!
“Looooooooooove!” Cruzo roared out loud as his Magma Accel left nothing but scorched earth contrail. His speed is only 20% faster than before, but it is still considered a significant boost!
“Just because you burned your fat does not mean you are more handsome than me!” Paul laughed out loud as he touched his Speedmage Shoes. “Spring Hop!”
Paul jumped twenty meters up in the air to soar overhead above Cruzo once more. And when he finally had a clear view at the back of the macho panda, he once again touched his Speedmage Shoes to cast another speed spell!
“Rotor Boost!”
The wheels on Paul Handsomeson’s Speedmage Shoes transformed into rotors that whipped up air and made his flight controlled. He made a quick maneuver in midair and boosted towards Cruzo’s back!
“Incoming! From your back!” I shouted at the mic.
Cruzo will not be able to evade the attack from behind. He is a Speedster, and the control of his maneuvers is not for evading opponents. Cruzo’s style is to face the opponent head-on, so his only option is to go straight toward the 1st Checkpoint Tower. That makes him a predictable target no matter how fast he is!
But I can see that Cruzo is having a trump card on his sleeve. He spread out his right hand and focused earth and fire magic enhancement on his fist!
“If getting struck from the back is my weakness, then I will have to remove that weakness with my power!” Cruzo roared! “Magma Drill!”
Molten crimson rocks materialized on Cruzo’s right arm and it formed into a cone. The magma rocks rotated so fast that it became a drill, ready to pierce through anything it touches!
“Hraaagh!”
Cruzo roared as he struck his Magma Drill on the ground. Earth chunks melted and shattered as soon as the magical drill made contact, and there was a magma explosion!
“Gwah!”
Paul cried as he was launched away from the point of the magmatic blast. There was a thick sulfur smoke where Cruzo used his Magma Drill, and everything at the center of the Triangle became foggy.
“Where is he!?” Paul looked left and right, up and down, forward and back, but he could not locate his opponent!
However, he saw a huge hole where Cruzo used to stand. Paul approached the circular cave and saw molten rocks on the tunnel’s edges.
“That panda just dug his own grave! Hahaha! Flee as much as you want! You will never win against a handsome prince like meeee!” Paul laughed out loud.
The ground rumbled. At first, we thought that it was an earthquake, but the abnormal heat and mana flow on the soil makes it clear that it was not a natural tremor but a magic-made one!
All of a sudden, Cruzo dug up and reappeared at the 1st Checkpoint Tower and touched it!
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Beep!
Point for Cruzo, now at 3:4!
“What the hell!?” Paul cried out loud. He materialized springs on his shoes once again and jumped with a Spring Hop spell to catch Cruzo!
“Guuuuuuts!” Cruzo shouted out loud, and the shockwave of his screams slightly blasted Paul away in midair!
“Shit!”
Cruzo again used his Magma Drill to dig a tunnel to the ground. The moment Paul landed next to the 1st Checkpoint Tower, Cruzo was already gone.
“Go get him in the 2nd Checkpoint Tower, Prez!” Captain Tezza advised. “He will definitely reappear there!”
Hearing that my opponent navigator gave a heads-up, I have to counter it and notify Cruzo too!
“Cruzo, hurry and drill through the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! You are a Speedster! You have a huge advantage in speed!”
“That’s not my only advantage, Coach! I have determination, guts, and love on my side!” I could imagine Cruzo smiling while saying those words.
“Then reach for it! Reach for your love!” I shouted out loud.
“Loooooooooooove!”
Cruzo resurfaced next to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower and then touched it with his long muscular arm!
Beep!
Point for Cruzo, now tied at 4:4!
“I will not let you escape! Hahaha!” Paul arrogantly laughed as he surged towards Cruzo with his Rotor Boost!
Now this is a great dilemma for Cruzo. If he decides to run away and dig through the ground, the 2nd Checkpoint Tower will be free for Paul to touch. There are only ten seconds left in this match, and the next person who scores a point wins!
The only way for Cruzo to prevent Paul from scoring is to engage him in a tag fight. However, a Speedster like Cruzo will not fare well against Paul who is a Striker. Paul would most likely score by striking Cruzo’s back!
If this was the old Cruzo, this game is good as won.
However, due to Cruzo’s newfound abilities and physique, everything can still turn out in his favor.
Cruzo smiled and gave me a thumbs-up. Then, he clenched his fists and punched the ground!
“Lava Field!”
The ground melted in a small area of effect around Cruzo. Molten rocks and lava splashed all around the field. Paul managed to evade the flaming debris, and he managed to get inside the Lava Field! With his Mech Accel, Paul skated around and aimed for Cruzo’s back!
“You are dead now, panda!”
Paul reached out his hand, ready to strike Cruzo’s open back!
However…
“Huh?”
Paul uttered a short cry as soon as he realized that he is not moving towards his opponent’s back. He is stuck in one place! When he looked at the ground, he saw that half of his legs are already buried in soft magma that served like a quicksand!
“W-What the hell is this?” Paul hollered.
All of a sudden, the magma cooled down, cementing Paul’s legs on the cooled volcanic glass! Now he can no longer make any movements!
“This is the power of my determination, guts, and love.” Cruzo gave Paul a thumbs-up and a smile, and then he went around and struck his rival's back!
Beep!
Point for Cruzo, now at 5:4!
And then…
Fweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!
“Cough! Cough! Cough!” Flu coughed for blowing the whistle too hard. Then she raised her hand and announced as the match concluded. “The winner of this match is Sir Cruzo!”
The audience cheered upon witnessing the end of the spectacular Speed Battle. Everybody clapped at the victor, while the loser started crying.
“Uhu! Uhu! Uhu!” Paul covered his weeping face. “There’s no way I have lost to an ugly bastard!”
“N-Nice game, President Paul.”
Cruzo undid the Lava Field, and now the sore loser Paul was free to move again. The macho panda offered his hand, but Paul slapped the hand away.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I will never play Speed Battles agaaaaaaaaaain!” Paul cried like a little bitch as he exited the Triangle with super speed!
<>
Now that Paul Handsomeson has been defeated, there is nobody else to interrupt Cruzo and his determination, guts, and love. For the second time, Heffy and Cruzo met under the Legendary Cherry Blossom Tree, ready to profess their love to one another.
The wind blew the pink petals from the legendary tree. The afternoon sunset basks the two lovers with warmth and joy. Heffy was bathing with cherry blossom petals as she walked forward, her fingers locked on the love letter Cruzo has sent.
Cruzo gave a smile and a blush as he saw the love of his life.
“Miss Heffy.”
“Mister Cruzo.”
The two looked at each other, eye-to-eye, and both looked embarrassed and flustered. They chuckled for a second, and finally, Cruzo broke the silence.
“Miss Heffy… Will you go out with me?”
…
…
…
“I’m sorry, Mister Cruzo.”
“Huh?”
“The man I loved was a cute fat panda. But now, you are a bulky macho heartthrob that scares girls like me. You killed the man I loved.”
“W-What!?”
“Goodbye, Cruzo. It’s not you. It’s me. I hope you will be fat again.”
Heffy left the Legendary Cherry Blossom tree with tears on her face. I am sure it was a hard decision on her part. That was a petty excuse though for rejection, but I guess even that girl has weird standards.
And…
Cruzo knelt on the ground and squeezed the cherry blossom petals piled on the floor. He is still smiling, but his teardrops are flowing like waterfalls.
“No… No… Noooooooooooo!”
I guess Cruzo’s power of determination, guts, and love is not enough after all.
I went to the macho panda who is still bawling his eyes out. I patted his back and tried to comfort him with my words. It is my job as a coach to console my depressed player after all.
“Don’t worry, Cruzo. There are plenty of fish under the sea. I am sure you will be able to find another girl that will reject you.”