99TH GEAR - SPEEDMAGE CHAMPION OF THE NORTH HUNTERS

This is the second round of the National Speedmage Tournament. Just like what we anticipated, Flu will be facing Speedmage Champions from different regions. Right now, we will be against Fawna Clawson, the Speedmage Champion of the North.

Fawna Clawson is a red-haired petite girl that has golden eyes and snow-white skin. She has freckles all over her cheeks which makes her adorable. Her long hair is tied in a manner that it can be mistaken as a fox’s tail. Her Speedmage Suit looks like an adorable costume of a polar bear.

Her Speedmage Shoes are a furry white pair of boots with the brand Yeti Legionnaire. This type of Speedmage Shoes is best suited for Strikers who excel in ambushing and hunting the opponent.

I have to notify Flu about this. So I pressed the mic near my lips and talked to my Speedmage.

“Flu, the opponent is a Striker. Let’s go for the Speedster tactic.”

“Yes, Coach!” Flu said as she cheerfully walked towards the starting line.

Both Flu and Fawna took position on the 1st Checkpoint Tower. They had a little friendly chat that I can eavesdrop on through the telepathic headset.

“Let’s go for the hunt, nya~” Fawna purred like a cat. I thought she was a polar bear.

“Right!” Flu nodded with a determined smile. “Good luck to both of us!”

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

“Both Speedmages ready?”

“Yes sir!” Flu saluted with full energy.

“Ready furr take off, nya~” Fawna smiled, showing her yellow fangs and teeth.

Flu and Fawna took their ready positions. I saw that Fawna has a different starting position than usual Speedmages. The polar bear girl is on all fours, with her butt raised, and her arms positioned like a typical wild feral creature.

I briefly looked at the navigator of the opponent who seem to be a tall man with a long beard. His body is covered by wolf pelts, but his buffed muscles can be seen in the gaps. He is struggling to set up the headset because he still has this Viking helmet on. I think these people came from the wild tribe in the north.

Well, anyway, back to the Triangle.

“On your marks… Get set… Go!”

Fweeeet!

As soon as the whistle was blown, Flu immediately took the lead as she activated her speed spell head-first!

“Stardust Accel!” Glittery pink contrails followed Flu as she blasted forward!

“Feral Accel!” The opponent in the polar bear costume also ran but on all fours. Dust blasted every time her limbs touch the ground, and unlike most Speedmages, Fawna does not leave any contrails on her tail.

Fluonessia is a Counter Speedmage, and Fawna is a Striker Speedmage. Counters have higher initial and overall speed than Strikers, so it is just given that Flu will take the lead in this race!

“Flu, preserve your mana and resist the urge to use Exceed. You better spend it on your Chain Trampoline: Omnitouch.” I advised.

“Roger!” Flu said with a smile as she closed into the 2nd Checkpoint Tower and touched it!

Beep!

First point for Fluonessia, at 1:0!

Flu created a cylindrical Stardust Trampoline next to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower, then she proceeded to restart her Stardust Accel in chase of the 3rd Checkpoint Tower!

“Fawna, the opponent is fast. You should do it, now.” The opponent Viking navigator said.

“Nyan, Nyan!” Fawna replied with a weird cat phrase. Then I saw her gathering mana on her back! “Hunters Pack!”

All of a sudden, two furballs appeared on Fawna’s rear! These furballs separated from her body and then rolled for a few meters, and then they transformed into clones of Fawna! The three Fawna then split into different paths!

The real Fawna went to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower to score a point!

Beep!

Point for Fawna, at 1:1!

One of the Fawna Clones took a shortcut and chased Fluonessia from the back!

And the next Fawna Clone also took a shortcut to ambush Flu on the third line!

The moment the Fawna Clones are in position, Flu was already close enough to the 3rd Checkpoint Tower! She touched it to score a point!

Beep!

Point for Fluonessia, at 2:1!

Flu created the second cylindrical Stardust Trampoline and then left the 3rd Checkpoint Tower.

Now the real Speed Battle starts here. Flu is cornered as a Fawna Clone is chasing her back, and there is another clone ready to intercept her. But she seems to not notice the real Fawna Clone behind her!

“Flu, behind you!” I shouted through the mic.

“Eh?”

“You’re mwine, nyan!” Fawna leaped forward, her claws(?) ready to strike Flu’s rear!

In the nick of time, Flu made a backflip to evade the attacking mini polar bear! However, she is not safe as the other Fawna will be attacking her from her right rear!

“Nyaaaaan!”

“Eeeep!” Flu cried as she spun gracefully as soon as she landed. She managed to evade the second assault at hair’s breadth!

“This is not enough, nya! We have to multiply, nya!” The three Fawnas hissed, and then they all gathered mana on their backs! “Hunters Pack!”

The three Fawnas created two furballs of the same size as their bodies each, and the furballs popped into Fawna Clones! Now there are nine of those adorable polar bear cosplayers!

“They’re so cuuuuute!” Flu squealed in amazement.

“Stop praising the opponent! You’re surrounded!” I cried.

The nine Fawnas circled Fluonessia. There will be no escape from this as they all had the sides covered!

“Nyanyanyanyanya!” The nine cute polar bears laughed menacingly. “This is how a wolf pack hunts their prey! They will gang up on one single enemy and then strike all at once! Get ready, Fluonessia!”

The three Fawna Clones on Flu’s rear attacked first! They leaped, ready to strike Flu’s back!

“Eeeep!” Flu ducked to evade the first three polar bears!

“We are next! Nyaaaaaaaa!” Three polar bears from Flu’s rear left proceeded to attack!

“Awaaaaaaa!” Flu cried as she kicked towards the right! She barely evaded that assault!

“Three more, nyaaaaaaaa!” Three polar bears from Flu’s front right jumped on her!

“Squeeeeep!” Flu shrieked once again as she did an acrobatic somersault to slip through the three polar bear cosplayers!

“Now you will get caught in this!” The three last Fawna Clones have positioned themselves on Flu’s front, rear left, and then rear right. With a rapid leap, their paws tried to reach Flu! “Nyaaaaa!”

“Aygooooo!” Flu lept upward with a Rocket Jump, completely evading the last three Fawna Clones! As a result, those last three bumped themselves, and they are launched in three opposite directions!

“Anyaaaa!” The poor Fawna Clones cried.

Watching this Speed Battle gave a smile on my face. Even with Flu’s screams and yelps, she managed to avoid getting touched by the opponent.

It was amazing to see Flu able to evade all nine Fawnas just by her intuition and instinct. But we trained for it anyway, so I should not be surprised.

Back in the Joint Training Camp, Flu challenged all hundreds of Speedmages at the Saint Crusade Academy. Of course, she ended up winning them all. But it did not quench her thirst in more extreme Speed Battles.

Flu decided to Speed Battle opponents three at a time. She said that she wanted to do what Vincent the Teleporter used to do. Sometimes, she wins in a 1v3 Speed Battle. Sometimes, she loses. But she decided to amp it up to a 1v5 Speed Battle which is ridiculous. There is no way she could win a versus five matchups, but it does not matter as she managed to learn a lot.

“Phoenix Arrow!”

Flu shot upward like a ballistic missile, aiming for the 1st Checkpoint Tower. With her perfect aim and flight precision, she managed to reach the tower in no time and touched it!

Beep!

Point for Fluonessia, at 3:1!

Flu once again swiped her hand, creating the third and final cylindrical Stardust Trampoline! With these in place, our victory is guaranteed!

“Chain Trampoline: Omnitouch is ready, Coach!” Flu excitedly raised her fists.

“Do it,” I said with a smile.

“Roger!” Flu’s eyes glinted as she hopped on the Stardust Trampoline and flew at lightning speed!

The pink-haired Speedmage managed to land on the Stardust Trampoline next to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower. She touched it to score a point, and then jumped once again with triple flight speed!

Beep!

Point for Fluonessia, at 4:1!

Flu landed again on another Stardust Trampoline, touched the 3rd Checkpoint Tower, and then jumped with triple exponential acceleration!

Beep!

Point for Fluonessia, at 5:1!

Meanwhile…

“Nyaaaaa! How can I hunt somebody that fast!” The nine Fawnas cried as they panicked. They tried chasing the flying Fluonessia, but they can never keep up! They look like sheep who are being led by a fast border collie that they will never catch!

Beep! Beep! Beep! Flu continued to jump from Checkpoint Towers to Checkpoint Towers!

Point for Fluonessia, at 8:1!

“Hey, hey, Coach!” Flu asked with a smile on her face.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Can we take home one of those Fawna Clones?” Flu asked with naivety. “They are sooooo cute! I want to cuddle one in bed! Can we keep one? Can we keep one, please ~”

“I’m pretty sure that’s kidnapping,” I said.

“Uwuuu.” Flu cried. “What a shame.”

While having this trivial conversation, we were immediately interrupted by the sudden sound of the whistle.

Fweeeeet!

The referee raised his hand and made a proclamation.

“Match over! The winner for the Second Round is Fluonessia Asahime!”