Speedmage Tournament

22ND GEAR - TWO IS SOMEHOW WORSE THAN ONE

22ND GEAR - TWO IS SOMEHOW WORSE THAN ONE

I thought at first that Flu was the one giving me bad luck because of her idiocy, but I have never been so wrong. This time, it was Prez's outburst that got me into the spotlight once again.

"Hey look! It's a Speed Battle!"

"Are they conducting a duel this early? Wait, isn't that Vincent the Teleporter?"

"Maybe it's an exhibition match to get us fired up!"

The club members from Cool Escape and Eaglecrest started to flock around a Triangle where people are setting up. There was an outdoor stage on the north side of the training camp where spectators, coaches, and navigators are allowed to stay to have a better view of the Triangles. Prez and I are busily preparing our gear on that stage.

As soon as I fixed my headset, I turned to Prez who just took on her dark gloves.

"Are you sure you're doing this?" I whispered.

"I will never back down just because he's the Speedmage Champion! I'll give him a piece of my mind even if I lose!" Prez said, still ticked off.

"No, I mean your condition. Is your stomach okay?"

"I'm fine! I will hold on as much as I can, swallow it as much as I could!" Prez smiled adorably.

"Don't smile like that when you're talking about gross things!" I cried.

All of a sudden, two Speedmages approached us. It was Flu and Cruzo who just seemed to have noticed the commotion around. I don't know who won their race on touching Checkpoint Towers, and I don't have time to ask.

"Hey, hey, what's happening?" Flu tilted her head in confusion.

"You see, Prez here is so hotblooded that she challenged the Speedmage Champion," I said.

"Y-You challenged the Speedmage Champion!?" Flu gasped. She pumped her fists. "That's awesome!"

Flu's naivety is enviable at this point. She does not know much about the provocation of the Eaglecrest members to our guild, which really ticked off our president. I understand Prez that she is just securing my position on the club as she does not want me to be recruited by Eaglecrest, but Flu does not know about their bout yet. Let's keep it that way so that it will not complicate things.

"Hello there."

A man wearing the blue Eaglecrest varsity jacket caught our attention. He is the third varsity bully guy from before, and he has an uncanny resemblance with Vincent the Teleporter. However, he is much taller, much skinnier, and much paler than the Speedmage Champion.

"Y-Yes?" Flu asked.

"You're Fluonessia Asahime, the famous rookie who beat Captain Tezza Flaschk, right?"

"Y-Yes, but it was just a coincidence that I won! I'm a failure after all. Tahahaha!" Flu scratched her head.

"Why won't you join the Speed Battle?"

"Eh? Isn't Speed Battles fought one versus one?" Flu asked.

"This is just an exhibition duel. Fighting the reigning Speedmage Champion will be a good learning experience for a newbie like you." The man said. Then he talked through the mic and asked Vincent the Teleporter from the other side. "Is it okay with you, big bro?"

"I'm game with that! I'm looking forward to racing against the legendary princess who beat Captain Lightning of Cool Escape." Vincent said through the speaker.

"R-Really!?" Flu pumped her fists in excitement, then she turned to me and then to Prez. Her eyes silently ask for our permission.

A two-versus-one Speed Battle is absurd. The latter player will have a big disadvantage as he will be facing two Speedmages at once. However, this is the Speedmage Champion we're talking about. This is a good exhibition match to see how large is the gap of power between a Speedmage Champion and my players.