104TH GEAR - THE FUN IN DESPAIR

"Heh."

I saw Professor Azure utter a single laugh as soon as she saw the awesome imitation of her Orbital Strike and Vincent's Flash Bullet Barrage. Her crimson-purple eyes were lit aflame when all those special moves that Flu made more points.

"They went all out, didn't they?" Ericka, who was just sitting right beside her older sister, muttered with a smile.

"Fluonessia Asahime is a prodigy. It's no surprise to me that she will gain a big lead. But there are still four minutes left. With all those big moves, Fluonessia's mana capacity is now cut to half. They must continue the momentum while defending." Professor Azure said as she crossed her arms. She suddenly changed expression when she focused her gaze on Lilith.

Back in the Triangle, Lilith is trying to break away from Flu who was rapidly chasing her. They are engaging in a tag fight at the center of the Triangle, near the 1st Checkpoint Tower. Black and pink contrail streaks clashed and crisscrossed, creating a two-toned DNA model.

"Flu, stick on her like glue! Don't let her use her Alternate Reality Magic!" I shouted through the mic.

"Roger, Coach!" Flu said as she continued to chase down the fleeing witch.

I saw back on the Regional Speedmage Tournament that Lilith's total activation and casting time of her Gravity Field is 2.15 seconds. If we can press on and give pressure on her, she will not have enough time to cast that overpowered magic!

Bzzzzt!

Both Speedmages were repelled by their magical barrier's force! Lilith gained about fifty meters of distance away from Flu, so she saw it as an opportunity to channel her spell!

"Everything shall fall unto the void! Gravity-"

"Phoenix Arrow!"

Flu shoots forward with her flaming body and clashed with Lilith head-on! Their foreheads almost collided, but the magical barriers of both Speedmages launched themselves in opposite directions!

"Grah! You bastard!" Lilith growled.

"I will not let you use your ultimate!" Flu said as she recklessly charged forward once again! "Phoenix Talon!"

"Ghhhh!" Lilith has pushed back yet again. This time, they are fifty meters away from the 1st Checkpoint Tower.

Flu can touch the 1st Checkpoint Tower and score one more point, but that is not our priority right now. If Lilith uses Gravity Field, it is all over. We have to keep the pressure!

"Yaaaaah!" Flu boosted once more, her hand trying to reach the opponent, but then-

"Shadow Lurk!" Lilith's body converted into black goo that fell on the ground. This black goo then turned to a shadow that is blacker than darkness. It went under Flu's feet and fled in the direction of the 3rd Checkpoint Tower!

"E-Eh!?" Flu was confused.

"Flu, follow the shadow! Don't let her get away!" I shouted.

"R-Right!" Flu boosted forward with her Stardust Accel, chasing the shadow!

Three minutes left!

Lilith must be planning on touching the 3rd Checkpoint Tower while avoiding any physical contact with Flu. Are they going to change tactics and gave up on the Gravity Field?

I looked at Gaylord Draculus who still have this forced smile on his face. There is sweat crawling on his pale white cheeks and wide forehead. If I read it right, there is still something they are trying to do in desperation.

The shadow and pink contrail streak closed into the 2nd Checkpoint Tower. When there were five meters left to cover, the shadow immediately turned to black goo, which shaped into the human form of the witch! She readied her hand to swipe the tower, but-

"I will not let you!" Flu cried as she rapidly kicked the ground and made a swift jump! A burst of pink stardust flames was left! "Starburst!"

Flu was able to strike the opponent's back as a result, and she also managed to deflect away Lilith who was just about to score a point! It was a successful attempt at offense and defense! It was like hitting two birds with one stone!

Beep! A pink magical circle point indicator manifested!

Point for Fluonessia, at 11:1!

"Phew!" Flu wiped away the sweat on her forehead. "That was close!"

Meanwhile...

Lilith was just standing with her hunched back. She seemed to be trembling, and her shoulders are shuddering. She deactivated all her speed spells, and she was panting out loud. Is she okay?

"Graaah... Haaaah... Haaaah..." Lilith heaved.

Flu was heavily breathing too, but hers was calmer. Lilith's breaths are more labored. Flu was slightly concerned so she started to talk.

"Um, Miss Lilith?"

"Say... Fluonessia Asahime..." Lilith mumbled.

"Yes?"

"Do you find this Speed Battle fun?" Lilith asked, her back still hunched. Nobody can make of her facial expression right now as her hair all falls on her front side.

"Yes!" Flu happily beamed.

"Heh... You are having fun because you are winning. But for those Speedmages who are losing, all they have is despair." Lilith muttered.

"Miss Lilith Nightshade. This Speedmage Tournament is meant for people to have fun. Yes, there is a concept of winners and losers, but it is just a sport to provide entertainment. This is not the Abyssal Speed Death Battle your parents used to participate in." Flu said.

I was surprised that Flu was able to blurt out that confidential information right in front of Lilith. Well, Flu is the most straightforward person I know, so it was a given.

I looked at Gaylord Draculus who was wearing a defeated smile on his face. "So, you knew," he said calmly.

I just nodded in response. I wanted to reply, but I can feel an ominous surge of magical energy in the Triangle. I looked back and saw black-colored mana gathering around Lilith who is still in a hunchback position.

Is she going to activate Gravity Field? No, the shadow energy my Mystic Glasses are detecting is more of an implosion inside Lilith's body. If it's Alternate Reality Magic, then the shadow magic should have been coating the whole triangle by now.

All of a sudden, Lilith Nightshade looked at Flu which immediately struck fear on her. The gold-and-crimson eyes glowed as the storm of shadow energy formed around her body. A dark furry tail started to grow on her back, her fangs became elongated and more canine, and wolf ears popped up on top of her head!

It's not only that, gray fur started to coat Lilith's arms and legs. Her fingers were elongated and her nails turned to claws as sharp as knives. Her lower body turned into hind legs the same as those of a wolf. Also, little vampiric wings sprouted on her back!

She has now assumed the form of a half-vampire and half-werewolf!

"I'LL SHOW YOU THE FUN IN GAINING DESPAIR!!!"

Lilith's loud telepathic voice echoed throughout the arena. And then, with a single leap, she collided with Fluonessia, head-on!

Bzzzzt! Flu was the only one launched by the repelling effect!

"Kyaaaah!" Flu cried.

Vampirewolf Lilith then shot towards the 2nd Checkpoint Tower and clawed it!

Beep!

Point for Lilith, at 11:2!

Not only that, the vampire-wolf teleported right behind Flu and struck her back! A black magical circle point indicator manifested!

Beep!

Point for Lilith, at 11:3!

"Flu, watch out!" I cried out loud.

"R-Right!" Flu answered as she used both of her feet to anchor to the ground.

As soon as the pink-haired Speedmage recovered her footing, her eyes fixed gaze on the Vampirewolf who is gnarling and drooling out of hunger- hunger to win. All of a sudden, the Vampirewolf disappeared!

"E-Eh!? Where is she!?"

"Behind you!" I cried.

It was too late! The vampire wolf already readied her claws and struck Flu's back! A black magical circle point indicator manifested!

Beep!

Point for Lilith, at 11:4!

"What the hell!? Can she teleport?" I cried.

Just after I said those words, Lilith teleported once again to Flu's back and made another strike!

Beep!

Point for Lilith, at 11:5!

And right after that, Lilith once again vanished and reappeared on Flu's back to strike her!

Beep!

Point for Lilith, at 11:6!

My sweat crawled until it reached my chin. This sudden erratic wild movement of Lilith is giving me goosebumps. There are no traces of shadow mana anywhere, so I can assume that she is doing a short-range teleportation spell!

"Get out of there, Flu!" I cried out loud.

"Yaaaaah!" Flu jumped upward with Rocket Jump, then she created a Stardust Trampoline to jump up further! Then, when she reached the borders of the stratosphere, she created a big Stardust Trampoline and surged downward! "Orbital Starfall!"

As Flu shoots downward like a falling phoenix, the Vampirewolf stared at her. It gathered mana on its esophagus, and then howled out loud!

"Awoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

It was an echoing howl that made all the spectators hurt their ears. Everyone on the stage, including the emperor and the prime minister, and even their magus guards were helpless on that eerie howl. Not even Gaylord Draculus was immune to it as he was forced to cover his ears and fall!

For some reason, I was not affected by that howl.

"Kyaaaaah!" Flu cried as she lost focus on aiming and crashed five hundred meters away from her designated target!

Boom! A crater was formed due to Flu's sudden crash.

"Flu, are you okay!?" I cried in the mic.

"T-Too noisy! I-I'm scared!" Flu cowered in fear as she curled and covered her ears. "Help me, Jonathan!"

Chills went down my spine. This scenery: a werewolf-like being, the bloodcurdling howl that affects everyone except me, and the pink-haired girl crying for help. It was all too familiar.

My chest started to ache and burn. I touched the source of pain and then looked at my hand. Warm red blood. There's my blood in it. The wound must have reopened.

No.

It was just a delusion. There was no blood anywhere. My hands are clean. My chest wound has long been healed. The pain in my chest is just the trauma trying to revive itself inside my brain.

I shook my head and clapped my cheeks to wake up. I have to focus on the Speed Battle right in front of me! Fluonessia needs my help!

There is only one minute left! We still have the upper hand, but...

"Everything shall be swallowed by the void... Gravity Field!"

Lilith has finally activated her trump card.