85TH GEAR - MIRROR TERROR ON THE WALLS

Chain Trampoline: Triforce Mirage is a unique S-Tier speed spell that only a handful of Speed mages can do. To start, a Speedmage must be able to use the complex Chain Trampoline. The Triforce Mirage, or the afterimages are created by rapidly jumping from one trampoline to another.

As for this moment, Flu was able to create three speed mirages of herself. It is a perfect spell to counter the Orbital Strike as the powerful repelling effect of such a spell is enough to jump-start the speed needed to do the Triforce Mirage!

“Yaaaaah!” , “Yaaaaah!” , “Yaaaaaah!”

Three Flu speed clones struck Professor Azure’s back, creating three layers of pink magical circle point indicators!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Three points for Fluonessia, at 6:4!

“Guh!” Professor Azure was pushed back due to the triple repelling effect of the magical barrier! 

However, Miss Terror's menacing smile is still there! She seems to be enjoying this Speed Battle!

My father looked at his pocket watch. There are still four minutes left in this match, and I can see a hint of relief on his face. Then he pressed his mic and talked to his old Speedmage.

“Comette, can you still do your ultimate spell?” My father asked with a smile.

“Who do you think you’re talking to, Old Coach? I may be a little bit rusty, but I know that spell like the back of my hand.”

“Then do it. There is no reason to hold back.” My father said,

“Heh! Roger that, Old Coach.”

Professor Azure just let the repelling effect’s force push her to the center of the triangle. I know they may be planning something, so I have to give a heads-up to my Speedmage!

“Flu! Stop chasing Professor Azure and get the next Checkpoint Tower! Be alert to both my advice and the enemy’s actions!”

“Roger!” Flu saluted and then immediately turned towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower with her superspeed! Pink glittery contrails followed her and made a V-shape because of her sudden shift in direction!

My gaze shifted back to the opponent Speedmage. With the help of my Mystic Glasses, I saw how Professor Azure gathered mana while she was standing still. This amount of condensed magical energy only means one thing: she is going to cast an Alternate Reality Magic!

“The world shall be frozen in place, and it shall be my domain: Mirror Valley!”

Reality shattered as the whole triangle was filled with rough ice. Clear crystal stalagmites, about two meters in height each, started to emerge from random parts of the Triangle! There were so many of them that it started to block Flu’s path!

“Hang in there, I need to score a point first!” Flu cried to herself as she dashed left and right to evade the obstacle of crystal stalagmites. 

Just when she was twenty meters away from the 2nd Checkpoint Tower, a huge crystal stalagmite blocked her way!

“Ah!” Flu cried as she was put to a sudden stop. Her reflection became visible in front of the crystal-clear icicle.

“Don’t worry, Flu! I can still see the 2nd Checkpoint Tower from here.” I said.

It was a good thing that I have a bird’s eye view as we navigators are often situated in high places where we can see all sides of the Triangle. Getting lost in the forest of icicles is one of the last things Flu needs in this match.

“Go three icicles to your left, then do a right turn! Count two icicles, then make another right turn!” I advised.

“Thank you, Coach!” Flu nodded with a smile. Then, she boosted towards the left and started counting the icicle spears.

However, just as Flu was going for a right turn, I saw Professor Azure at the center of the Triangle. She dived into one of the mirror icicles and disappeared! Did she just got transported to another realm?

Anyway, this is bad news! I have to inform Flu!

“Flu, get out of there!” I cried.

“E-Eh!?”

Just after Flu uttered her words, Professor Azure appeared from one of the mirror icicles behind her! With a swift swipe, Professor Azure’s mana-imbued fingers created a blue magical circle point indicator!

Beep!

Point for Comette, at 6:5!

“Kyaaah!” Flu cried as she was launched by the repelling effect! She almost crashed into a nearby icicle mirror, but she was able to anchor her feet and reduce the impact with her hand!

Meanwhile, Professor Azure jumped into one of the mirror icicles once again.

“W-Where is she?” Flu looked around the icicles, and she cannot see anything but her countless reflections.

Occasionally, Professor Azure’s shadow can be seen dashing around inside the mirror world. Even my eyes are already playing tricks on me as I could not identify which is a reflection and which is not. Or if she is even in the physical world at all.

At this instance, we could not do anything but hold on! We cannot catch Professor Azure at this rate, and our only choice is to stall and kill time! We still have one point lead, and there is one minute left before the match concludes! We have to do this!

“F-Flu! Try to run in circles!”

“R-Roger!” Flu nodded as she started to boost in random directions, occasionally looping around the huge crystal icicles.

All of a sudden, Professor Azure’s voice echoed throughout the field. It seems that the source of the voice came from the Mirror Valley itself.

“Are you planning on running all around to confuse me? It does not matter, Miss Asahime. I am the Mirror Valley. I know where your exact location is!”

Professor Azure immediately came out from one of the mirror icicles and swiped Flu’s back! However, in the nick of time, Flu’s instincts came in and she twirled around to face Miss Terror!

“Yaaah!” Flu whipped her hand to swat Professor Azure away, and their magical barriers collided!

Bzzzt!

Both Speedmages were launched in opposite directions! However, Professor Azure jumped towards one of the mirror icicles, and Flu was out there, still confused!

“W-Where is she!?” Flu panicked. She turned around, and around, and around, protecting her back.

Thirty seconds left!

Professor Azure is appearing and reappears from the mirror icicles. This is getting stressful for Flu, as well as for me. One wrong move and the opponent will score a point!

Suddenly, I realized something that only we navigators can see due to the great bird’s eye view. The 2nd Checkpoint Tower is just a few meters from Flu thanks to her running around in random directions. It may be luck that the Checkpoint Tower is just a few meters away from her, but there is no way for Flu to know that she is that close to scoring a point.

“Flu, go to your eight o’clock at full speed once I give you my mark!” I advised.

“Got it!” Flu said as she stopped turning around and glanced left and right. Her eyes are trying to follow Professor Azure or her reflection. She has not known which one is real anyway, so she made a good call on being alert.

My father scrunched his eyebrows. He seem to be puzzled about my advice to Flu, as the 2nd Checkpoint Tower is just a few meters away from her two o’clock. He must be confused why I am asking for Flu to run in the opposite direction.

Ten seconds left! I think this will be my cue!

“Now!” I shouted through the mic.

“Stardust Accel!” Flu boosted at seven o’clock, away from the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! Countless reflections of Professor Azure followed the pink-haired Speedmage!

And since Flu’s back is wide open, Professor Azure locked on her opponent’s back! She reappeared from the nearest mirror icicle, and swiped her fingers on Flu’s rear shoulder!

“Kyaaah!” Flu cried as a blue magical circle point indicator manifested on her back!

Point for Comette, now tied at 6:6!

Five seconds left, and the score is at a draw! But I have no intention of just letting it as it is! We are planning to win!

“Jump and use Stardust Trampoline to your two o’clock!” I cried.

“R-Right!”

Flu immediately recovered her composure and jumped a few meters and swiped her hand to create a Stardust Trampoline. Using the repelling effect of magical barriers earlier and her full-speed sprint, she built up a considerable velocity for the trampoline spell to triplicate!

“Phoenix Arrow!”

Swoosh!

Flu blasted forward in a straight line, destroying the icicle mirrors out of the sheer force of her pink flames and shockwaves. The way became immediately clear straight to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower, and for the last split second, she reached out her hand to tap it!

Beep!

Point for Fluonessia, at 7:6!

And then almost immediately…

Fweeeeeet!

“Match over!” Cruzo the referee raised his hand. “The winner is Flu!”

“That’s my girl!” I hopped with a fist pump. Then I went back to my cool aloof old self and stood up straight when I noticed that Ericka and my father are just watching from my side. “W-What?”

“Nothing.” Ericka gave a teasing smile. “Come on, you should celebrate more and be proud of yourself! No need to be shy, come on~”

“Shut up, Useless Prez!” I blushed and turned away.

Meanwhile, on the Triangle, the ice-cold Alternate Reality Magic faded and returned to a normal playing ground for Speed Battles. Professor Azure manifested at the center of the Triangle, and she slowly approached the exhausted pink-haired Speedmage.

“Haaah… haaah… haaah…” Flu panted with a smile on her face. Her body may be tired, but her adorable blue eyes seem to shine full of liveliness. “G-Good game, Miss Terror-”

Wham!

Professor Azure did a soft karate chop on Flu’s head!

“Ukyuuu!” Flu cried.

“Stop calling me Miss Terror, you dipshit. Call me Professor Azure!” The punky professor scolded.

“A-Ah, I’m sorry, ma’am!” Flu laughed as she scratched her head. “G-Good game, Professor Azure!”

Professor Azure gave a genuine smile of satisfaction as she offered her hand, which Flu immediately accepted. They gently shook hands to remove the hostility in the air.

“Good game, Miss Asahime. I have nothing else to teach you. You are now ready to face Vincent Shadowseek.”

“Thank you very much!” Flu bowed with full energy and happiness.