88TH GEAR – AGAINST THE TELEPORTER

Today is the long-awaited day when I will confront my old friend one final time.

Vincent and Justine will be doing their final Speed Battle against Fluonessia and me at the Merry Knights Training Grounds. The Triangle is all set, the viewing deck for navigators is all clean, and all facilities of the Merry Knights are now ready for this one last Speed Battle for the Speedmage Champion who was dubbed “The Teleporter.”

For some reason, this event has become the Saint Crusade’s hottest news of the year. Speedmages from Eaglecrest are already given to watch their ace, but I never expected Cool Escape Speedmages such as the three captains who are going to spectate this fight. Not only that, even the professors such as Miss Terror, the perverted school nurse, and my foolish father have secured the best seats to watch this Speed Battle.

Oh before I forgot… the paparazzi girl was also here, and she brought up five more paparazzi with her. I guess her whole club will be covering up an article for Vincent’s one last Speed Battle.

Meanwhile…

“One-two! Three-four! Five-six! Seven-eight!”

I am busy setting up my telepathic headphones, while Flu is doing some stretching here at the viewing deck, loudly counting her rhythm. Flu is already alluring and sexy on her Speedmage Suit, and now that she is doing some flexible splits and some daring leg stretching, I cannot help but think of indecent thoughts about her.

“Yosh! I am all set!” Flu hopped with pumping fists action. Her smile is ear-to-ear, which just means she is the most hyped person to have this Speed Battle. She will be facing an Ex-Speedmage Champion after all.

Seeing that Flu is ready, I looked at my pocket watch and realized that there is only ten minutes before the match starts. Vincent is suiting up in our guild changing room, and his navigator Justine is already right beside me.

“Hey, Coach!” Flu hopped right in front of me with her trembling closed fists raised. “Let’s do that thing again!”

I immediately figured out what she was talking about based on her enthusiastic smile. I guess being lovers connects our thoughts in so many ways.

“What? Why? That is too embarrassing!” I cried.

“But I will never unlock past my 100% if we do not do it!” Flu puffed her cheeks adorably.

“You’re just making that up! And that is too embarrassing to say right now that so many people are watching!”

“Jeez, Coach! You should not be embarrassed about this since we’ve done it already! You just have to summon that inner determination and guts in you!” Flu smiled.

“Now you’re talking like Cruzo…” I muttered.

Flu grabbed my hand and dragged me to the edge of the viewing deck, completely ignoring my previous objections. When we were inches away from falling off, Flu stopped and then smiled at me.

“Don't be shy! Let’s do it!”

“R-Right.” I gave a wry smile.

Flu inhaled a lot of air softly and then burst it all out of her mouth.

“I’m in looooooooooove!”

“I’m in love.” I followed with less energy

“I’m in loooooooooooove!” Flu hollered out loud.

“I’m in love,” I whispered.

“I’m in looooooooooooove!” Flu cried for the last time.

“I’m in love,” I muttered under my breath.

I briefly looked at Justine, Useless Prez, Cruzo, Miss Terror, my foolish father, and the three Speedmage Captains from Eaglecrest. They all have this grin on their face that makes me embarrassed. I am now silently praying that the earth swallows me and removes my pitiful existence in this universe!

“Jeez, Coach! You’re not having energy for this Speed Battle! Aren’t you hyped?” Flu asked innocently.

“I told you before, this is embarrassing. Stop shouting like an idiot!” I cried.

“If you’re too embarrassed, then I will just do it for you instead!” Flu puffed out her chest proudly. Then, she inhaled a lot of air and shouted out loud! “I love youuuuuu, Jonathaaaaaaan!”

That’s it! My whole body is red now, and I am dying of cringe. I love Flu’s cheesiness and sweetness, but every action has its own time and place. So I immediately covered her mouth and then gently pushed her down the stairs.

“Mmmmmph! Mmmmph!” Flu gagged.

“Get to the starting position already!” I cried as I let go of her.

“Waaah! Yes, Coach!” Flu cried while saluting.

Flu rushed down towards the 1st Checkpoint Tower, and Vincent, who seemed to have just suited up, followed. I put on my headset and wiped my Mystic Glasses before equipping it. I noticed that there are still stares coming from my back and I saw the ones who gave me a teasing smile earlier. I looked away for the last time in an attempt to focus on the match and exhaled the bullshit on my mind in one go.

“Hooo…”

Justine went forward with a hint of a smile on his face. 

"What a lovely couple, you two." Justine chuckled.

"Shut up."

Justine finally stopped mocking and extended his arm, offering a fist bump.

“Here’s for a good game. Make this the last Speed Battle my big brother will remember.” Justine said.

I bumped knuckles with my opponent's navigator. And then I said with a determined smile full of confidence. “This will be our win to remember.”

We navigators both looked at the Triangle where our Speedmages are doing a short talk with smiles of excitement on their faces.

“Finally, I will be able to play with you, Miss Fluonessia Asahime!” Vincent said. “This might not be an official tournament, but I will unleash everything I have to beat you.”

“Same, Mister Vincent Shadowseek! It is an honor to have a Speed Battle with you. And I will show you what a true resolve is!” Flu beamed.

“I can’t wait to see it,” Vincent replied. “Show me a reason why you should represent Saint Crusade Academy for the National Speedmage Tournament.”

“Roger that!” Flu cheered with a salute.

At face value, Vincent has the upper hand in terms of speed, stamina, mana capacity, and experience. Being able to teleport and use Alternate Reality Magic is a feat only the legendary mages can achieve, and Vincent a prodigy in terms of using those spells. He was only defeated by Lilith Nightshade back in the tournament because of a specific Alternate Reality Magic that counters his playstyle.

But even though Vincent has all these strengths, I still believe in Flu. We persevered together to enhance her speed spells. Subjectively speaking, Flu got this game one hundred percent.

“Flu.” I talked through the mic.

“Y-Yes Coach!” Flu was quite startled when she heard me speaking out of the blue.

“I love you.”

“E-Eh!?” Flu’s face went strawberry red! “W-Why are you telling it to me now!?”

“I don’t want to shout it out loud because it is embarrassing. But that is how I truly feel about you, so it’s just a reply to your shout earlier.” I said with a smile.

“Jeez.” Flu puffed her cheeks.

“Go defeat the Teleporter. Command him to step aside from his throne, knock off that God of Speed crown on top of his head, and then you take over.”

“Got it, Coach!” Flu pumped her fists.

The referee for this bout is the President of Levi Armstrong. Since we have the home-court advantage and the referee is the President of the Eaglecrest Guild, nobody will question who had the advantage in this match. This will be a fair and square Speed Battle.

The referee approached the 1st Checkpoint Tower and raised his hand. He also readied his whistle.

“Both Speedmages ready! On your marks… Get set… Go!”

Fweeeeeeeet!

“Photon Accel!” Vincent dashed forward in the lead with his white contrails!

“Stardust Accel!” Flu followed a split second late as glittery pink streaks followed her!

Both Speedmages rushed toward the 2nd Checkpoint Tower at identical speeds! Every step they took had the same rhythm, and each of their breaths seemed synchronized!

“I am impressed,” Justine muttered. “Fluonessia Asahime has already reached my big brother’s top speed in just a short amount of time.”

“I was surprised too,” I said with a smile. “But that is not Flu's maximum speed.”

“What?”

Back in the Triangle, Vincent and Flu are racing toe to toe against each other. There is no one leading as their speed is almost identical until I gave my advice.

“Step on it, Flu!”

“Roger!” Flu said with a smile, and then she screamed out loud! “Taaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Glittery pink contrails started coming out from her elbow! As Stardust Accel was cast as well on her arms, her speed increased by 20%! She boosted forward, leaving Vincent in the dust!

This is Fluonessia’s unique speed spell: Stardust Accel Exceed where she engulfs all her limbs with Stardust energy. We discovered it on one of our nightly training even before Professor Azure challenged us, and kept quiet about it until now. It’s not a groundbreaking spell in any sense, but it can increase the maximum output of Stardust Accel.

One hundred meters left before the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! And Flu is already around ten steps in the lead! She will get the first point!

However…

Vincent has something new on his sleeve. He materialized two teleporter swords in his hand while maintaining his sprinting speed. He slowly tried to speed up and catch up to the pink-haired Speedmage!

Ten meters left, and Flu disabled Stardust Accel Exceed as she might miss tagging the 2nd Checkpoint Tower if she maintained that extraneous speed. She reached out her hand, ready to touch the tower, but-

Swoosh!

A teleporter sword darted toward the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! All of a sudden, Vincent teleported right at the teleporter sword and tagged it first!

Beep!

First point for Vincent, at 0:1!

Vincent scoffed at Flu. “You’re not the only one who has improved.”