Speedmage Tournament

37TH GEAR - HOT SPRING ACCIDENTS CAN NEVER BE THIS EASY

37TH GEAR - HOT SPRING ACCIDENTS CAN NEVER BE THIS EASY

The Speed Battle matchups for this joint training camp ended when nightfall arrived. For the last night of the training camp, I was supposed to be helping the Eaglecrest Guild members prepare the dinner. Lucky me, they did not need my help.

No. Actually, I was kicked out for being magicless. I was never even given a chance to touch any raw ingredients. They cooked awesome food using their culinary magic, and I have no idea how they did it. The result was an extravagant dinner that gave the dining tables an ambiance similar to those of an outdoor 4-star hotel feast.

After the dinner, Captain Tezza gave out flyers for the natural hot springs at the east side of the Sogen Training Grounds, near the foot of the mountain range. Since there are three inactive volcanoes in the vicinity, there are about four hot springs for us to enjoy. It was a perfect relaxing place for Speedmages who gave it their all in the earlier Speed Battles. I heard it also enhances the mana capacity of mages, but of course, that information is useless to me.

I have never tried hot springs in my entire life, so I was kind of excited to try them. I left our club tent and went ahead to the men's hot springs. It was just five minutes of walking from the main camp, and there were direction signs all over the place so it was easy to find.

There are posters about the guidelines for the "Magical Hot Springs". We have to take a shower and wash our bodies before plunging into the natural healing warm water. Then we have to be fully naked once we dip ourselves in the water so that the cleanliness of the hot springs is preserved. I did as the instructions told me because I am a law-abiding citizen.

I plunged into the water, and the warmth entered my veins. I know I'm not a mage, but it felt like my energy is being replenished. The natural steam is giving a tad bit of sulfur smell which is quite as addicting as the smell of gasoline.

"Aaaah." I moaned as I relaxed my legs and arms. I closed my eyes and almost fell asleep when I heard another soft splash on the warm water.

When I looked at the source, I saw a white-skinned male with blue eyes and brown hair. It was the Speedmage Champion, Vincent himself.

"Yo!" Vincent gave a two-finger salute. "Nice to find you here! I thought I was the first one to try this, but you got here first!"

"Did you teleport just to get here? I didn't hear the bamboo door open." I asked.

"Of course! What's the use of a teleportation spell if I'm not going to abuse it?" Vincent laughed.

I envy Vincent and his teleportation skill. It must be handy in almost every situation. He will never be late for school, and he can just forget anything at home and just fetch whatever thing he needs by teleporting back home. Never mind that, if I have a teleportation spell, I would do an instantaneous taxi service!

"Man, I want to cast a teleportation spell too." I scratched the scar on my chest with a wry smile.

Vincent looked at the huge claw marks on my chest. I think I showed this to him back when we were kids, so he was not surprised.

"That's a decade-long scar, huh," Vincent muttered.

"Oh, this? Thankfully, it doesn't hurt anymore." I chuckled.

"Good to know. I thought you were dead back then." Vincent said.

There was this one disaster back when I was five years old that I could not remember much. The only clear thing is this claw mark scar that I have been carrying since I was a kid. 

I only recall an image of a forest with large trees, the dawn sun rising, a girl crying, and my bloodied body on the ground. On my hand was a wing of a broken toy bathing with my blood. It was a bizarre flashback, and it traumatizes me if I try to recall it. I want to forget that event as soon as I can.