Speedmage Tournament

26TH GEAR - CRUZO DIED TWO TIMES ON THE SECOND DAY

26TH GEAR - CRUZO DIED TWO TIMES ON THE SECOND DAY

The Joint Training Camp between the three Speedmage Guilds of Saint Crusade Academy consists of four days, from Thursday to Sunday. The first training day was spent on basics like ten laps around the Triangles, practicing maneuvers around a Checkpoint Tower, and even playing tag.

It was exhausting on the first day even though we started after lunchtime, but it was nothing compared to the second day.

We started early in the morning at five, and the first activity was jogging around the training camp, I mean the whole grassland. It only consists of one lap, and the view around the Sogen Training Camp is awesome, but it is still hectares wide. Most Speedmages who heavily rely on magic and are out of body shape, such as Cruzo, were not able to finish the lap.

"Gah! Hah! Hah!" Cruzo fell on his knees while heavily panting.

Prez, Flu, and I stopped and pulled over to the side. Several Speedmages overtook us as we had a moment of rest.

"Sir Cruzo!" Flu cried.

"Leave me, my dear guild mates! I could not make it!"

"But Sir Cruzo!" Flu made a dramatic cry. "We will not leave you alone! We are in this together!"

"No! I will just drag you down if you wait for me. Go!" Cruzo said as rivers of sweat crawled around his face and body.

"I will remember this noble sacrifice, Sir Cruzo!" Flu wept.

"Come on now, it's not like that panda is going to die." Prez pulled Flu's hand.

"Run, my dear guild mates. Run! Your determination and guts will push you forward, to the finish line!" Cruzo said before he lay flat on the ground.

"Nooooooo!"

I looked at the expired (?) remains of Cruzo, then I wiped away the sweat on his forehead with a dirty towel I used to clean their Speedmage Shoes earlier. After that, I left our panda senior as I continued to jog forward.

What the heck is this soap opera drama? 

Wait, why am I jogging with them first thing in the morning? I'm not even a Speedmage! I'm their coach! This jogging session will not do me any good!

I immediately stopped running. Flu and Prez noticed that I'm not following them, so they turned to me.

"Prez, I'll sit this one out," I said.

"Huh?" Prez glared at me. "Are you going to die like Cruzo?"

"No. Listen, I'm not even a Speedmage. That's why I feel like I shouldn't be jogging with you guys." I said as I sat on the soft grass.

"But jogging does not require magic." Prez immediately slapped me with sound logic.

"I'm your coach, remember? My role should be yelling at you players while sitting pretty at the bench." I shrugged.

"And I am the president of the guild. Judging by our positions, I outrank you. My word is the law as long as you are a member of the Merry Knights." Prez made a deathly glare at me.

"Well, I did not vote for you."

"At least show some respect from your senior, you darn newbie!" Prez finally snapped and created a spear out of her magical ice. "Now get your ass in here and run with us!"

I was scared of whatever she might do to me with that ice spear, so I immediately lifted my butt from the ground and saluted.

"Y-Yes ma'am!"