100TH GEAR – SPEEDMAGE CHAMPION OF THE SOUTHERN ABYSS

This is the Third Round of the National Speedmage Tournament. And also, this will be the Semifinals.

I am quite surprised that Flu is blitzing Speedmage Champions left and right. Sure, Flu was already a Speedmage Champion level the moment she defeated Professor Comette Azure. She even defeated Vincent the Teleporter who was the National Speedmage Champion for two years. I was confident that Flu would win in the first and second rounds, but I never thought it would just be a breeze.

I hope the Speed Battle for this Third Round is the same.

The opponent is Norn Vortigein, a small girl with black hair tied in twin ponytails. She has crimson red eyes and fair white skin. Her Speedmage Suit looks like a combination of a gothic princess and a maid, with thigh-high leggings.

Norn Vortigein is the Speedmage Champion of the Southern Region, where the gigantic chasm is located. I heard that Vortigein Family owns the gigantic mine in that place, so our enemy is a big shot.

Her Speedmage Shoes are the Nidhogg Abyssal Ver. 2, which is a pair of dark leather boots with silver spikes. Nidhogg series are best known for their versatility in speed and control while keeping the mana cost of each spell cheap. This kind of Speedmage Shoes is well-suited for Counters.

Both Speedmages took position on the 1st Checkpoint Tower. While waiting for the referee, Flu greeted the opponent.

“Let’s have a good and fun match, Miss Norn Vortigein!” Flu pumped her fists with a smile.

“Hmph!” Norn sassily turned away from the pink-haired Speedmage. “Have fun losing in this match!”

“Y-Yeah… Good luck… Tahahaha…” Flu gave a dry laugh.

Well, that girl is unfriendly.

I looked at my side to take a peek at the opponent Navigator. Norn Vortigein’s navigator is a tall man in a full formal tuxedo. He is wearing round eyeglasses and he’s just standing stiff. I would greet him to have a good match, but he did not respond even if I stare at him. So, I won’t bother.

I pressed the mic closer to my mouth and talked to my Speedmage.

“Flu, the opponent is a Counter Speedmage. Try to beat her in a race and see what she has at her disposal. Avoid using big moves until we learn about her tricks.”

“Roger that, Coach!” Flu saluted.

The referee went forward and readied the whistle. He raised his hand and talked out loud to the Speedmages.

“Semifinals Round for the National Speedmage Tournament! Speedmages ready!”

Flu and Norn made the same ready stance: their knees bent, and their arms spread out wide while touching the ground. Judging from this position, it is most likely that the opponent Speedmage is also adept in elemental fusion speed spells. I have to watch out.

“On your marks... Get set… Go!”

Fweeeeeet!

“Stardust Accel!” Flu takes the split-second lead as she enchanted her shoes with magical glittery pink contrail streaks!

“Obsidian Accel!” Norn boosted forward, leaving dark sparkling dust on her trail!

Obsidian is quite a peculiar fusion element. Ericka taught me that to create obsidian magic, a spellcaster must be able to combine earth and shadow magic. I forgot to ask what obsidian magic can do, and honestly, I do not care about that time. It’s not like a magicless person like me would find that information useful anyway. And now I kind of regret not asking.

Flu is racing towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower with a huge lead. Norn is about ten to fifteen footsteps behind her! Flu can do this!

“First point is mine!” Flu cried as she tapped on the 2nd Checkpoint Tower!

Beep!

First point will be for Fluonessia, at 1:0!

Flu drifted right next to the 2nd Checkpoint Tower and then boosted forward. We did not bother preparing for Omnitouch at this rate as we already used it on the previous match. The next opponents may have already formulated a counter for it, we assumed. All it takes for Flu to be stopped on her Omnitouch is to block the linear path, and considering that it consumes a lot of mana, it is not worth the risk right now.

Just after five seconds, Norn raced and tapped the 2nd Checkpoint Tower to tie the score!

Beep!

Point for Norn, at 1:1!

“Hmph,” Norn said as she held her waist. Then she decided to go back in the direction where she came from.

“Flu, the opponent will be shifting her playstyle to a Striker. Go for the 3rd Checkpoint Tower!” I advised.

“Yes, Coach!” Flu said as she boosted forward! With a gentle swipe of her fingers on the tower, she gained another score!

Beep!

Point for Fluonessia, at 2:1!

Now the real battle starts here. Norn is taking position between Flu and the 1st Checkpoint Tower. They will cross paths in this line.

“Stardust Accel Exceed!” Flu boosted forward with 120% speed. She slightly tilted her angle 20 degrees, ready to swerve the moment the opponent gets close!

200 meters before the clash! 100 meters! 50 meters! Norn did not move an inch! She is just standing there, her crimson-red eyes watching Flu as she charges forward! She’s certainly planning for something, but all we can do for now is watch!

Ten meters! Flu immediately shifted her run to the right to avoid a head-on collision! Since Flu has a speed advantage, she would not want this play to be converted to a tag fight!

Two meters! All of a sudden, the Norn’s feet were coated with glittery shadow magic!

“Shadow Swipe!” Norn spread out her arms and made a quick U-Turn to collide with Flu!

Bzzzt!

“Kyah!” Flu cried as she was launched because of the repelling effect of the magical barriers. She immediately regained her balance and created a Stardust Trampoline to make a payback! “Yaaaah!”

Flu flew forward, trying to bump unto Norn. All of a sudden, Norn’s crimson eyes glowed, and then she disappeared!

“Eh!?” Flu cried in utter confusion. She looked left and right, and then noticed that the opponent was already on her back!

“You are wide open!” Norn said as she struck Flu! A black magical circle point indicator manifested!

Beep!

Point for Norn, at 2:2!

“Guh!” Flu cried as she was launched towards the center of the Triangle. “W-What happened there!? Did she teleport?”

“No,” I muttered as I gritted.

Even with the use of my Mystic Glasses, I never saw any mana trace that is similar to a teleportation spell. Norn’s magical signature stayed in one place even the moment she “disappeared”. I had a theory for the type of magic she used, but I have to make sure I am guessing the right one.

“Flu, don’t break the tag fight! Buy me some time! I want to confirm something!” I said.

“Yes, Coach!” Flu said as she made another Stardust Trampoline triple her speed and rush towards the opponent!

Flu spread out her hand, trying to collide with the enemy as fast as possible! It does not matter if she’s not striking the opponent’s back! All I need is to engage and continue the tag fight!

“Yaaaaah!” Flu swiped her arm toward the opponent, but then Norn disappeared for the second time! “H-Huh!?”

All of a sudden, Norn reappeared right on her back! The opponent swiped her fingers to strike!

Beep! A black magical circle point indicator manifested!

Point for Norn, at 2:3!

“Kyaaaaah!” Flu was launched outside the Triangle. She pressed her left foot to pivot and then rushed towards the enemy!

“Flu, step back!” I cried.

“Y-Yes!”

Flu stomped on her brakes and then jumped backward. Meanwhile, Norn is just watching her with a menacing glare and an insulting smirk.

“I finally know what is happening,” I said with a hint of a smile.

“What is it, Coach? How can she teleport like that?” Flu asked.

“It’s not teleportation, but the way she uses it makes it feel like one. It’s quite a simple spell.” I said.

“Then what is this spell she is using?” Flu asked.

“I suspect she can shrink herself.”

“Shrink?” Flu tilted her head.

“Yes. She stays in the same place whenever you attack her, but you will not notice since she has shrunken to atom size. But she is still there, as proven by her mana signatures. She will just turn back to her original size when you unknowingly skipped her, while your back is wide open.”

“Ooooh,” Flu said in amazement. “So how can I get her?”

“Engage her in a tag fight once again, and try using spells with a large area of effect,” I said.

“Yes, Coach!” Flu’s blue eyes glowed as she jumped forward once again, ready to confront the opponent!

“Oh, so you’re coming at me? Instead of running away?” Norn crossed her arms with a teasing smug on her face.

“I cannot strike you if I will not get closer!” Flu smiled.

The moment Flu is right in front of the opponent, she used one of her secret spells that should have been revealed way back when we fought Professor Azure. Flu spread out her arms and created twelve Stardust Trampolines on the air and the ground.

“Chain Trampoline: Chaotic Barrage!”

Flu jumped from one magical trampoline to another, creating a cage of flying pink bullets ricocheting all around in a twenty-meter diameter area of effect! The moment the pink bullet tried to crash on Norn, she activated her shrinking ability and “disappeared” to the naked eye!

There are two purposes of this Chain Trampoline: Chaotic Barrage spell. The first purpose is to cage the opponent in a wide area of effect and to prevent the opponent from fleeing. The second purpose is to easily track where the opponent is using my Mystic Glasses. Since Flu’s pink mana contrails can be easily separated from the other colors of mana signatures, I can pinpoint the opponent’s location even in her shrunken state.

I saw a dark mana signature inside the cage made out of pink contrail streaks. It is standing out, so I have to notify Flu fast!

“Flu! Second quadrant, one meter away from the northern edge! Catch her with both of your hands!”

“Roger!” Flu said as she blasted like an arrow, her hands spread out wide!

Boom!

Flu crashed on the ground, with her magical barrier absorbing all the impact! She stood up and showed her enclosed clasped hands.

“I got her, Coach! What should I do!?” Flu asked.

“Shake it, baby!” I cried out loud with a smile.

Flu vigorously shook her hands as if she was rolling for a die, and there was a strange noise coming from it!

Beep! Bzzzt! Beep! Bzzzt! Beep! Bzzzt!

There were pink magical circle point indicators and lightning shocks out of the magical barrier’s repelling effect! Shrunken Norn must be getting tossed around the cage- which is made of Flu’s mana-imbued hands!

Points for Fluonessia, at 5:3!

“Waaaaah! Let me go! Let me go! Let me gooooooo!” Tiny Norn cried, sounding like a chipmunk.

“Shake shake shake! Shake shake shake!” Flu danced around and swayed her hips. She seems to be enjoying this, completely oblivious to the opponent’s begging for mercy.

Beep! Bzzzt! Beep! Bzzzt! Beep! Bzzzt!

Points for Fluonessia, at 8:3!

And then, the whistle was blown, indicating the end of the Speed Battle.

Fweeeeeet!

“Match over! The winner for the Semifinals Round is Fluonessia Asahime! She shall advance to the Grand Finals of the National Speedmage Tournament!”