Chapter 47: Cheating

Twinkle Mana wrapped around Jaxir’s feet and it practically felt like his staff became a sail. When he leapt forward, it almost felt like he teleported from the first pillar to the next, his body landing on the latter for just a short instant before he blazed forward again.

His laughter filled the air as he leapt up and flipped, slipping through a ring hanging high above him.

He dove and rolled along the ground, popping back up to his feet and passing a quick glance toward Tayo, who was already falling behind.

The man was fast. Between his other equipment and the fact his Body Stat started a lot higher than Jaxir’s own, he easily had a Body Stat that was about the same as Jaxir’s.

The trouble was that his Twinkle Mana control was pitiful and he wasn’t a speed type Melee Class like Nick had been, or Marti for that matter.

And the more Jaxir ran...

The faster he became.

A wide grin spread across his face as a pillar swung down from above, its large steel body picking up speed.

Jaxir’s foot planted and he spun to the side, feeling the pillar just barely scraping against the fabric of his robes as he twisted by it.

He shot past it before it could make the swing back. He thought he was free and clear, but then the ground beneath him suddenly snapped open.

The action was abrupt and quick. There wasn’t even the slightest seam in the pillar he had been standing on, but all of a sudden he was facing a raging pit of lava beneath him.

’Shit.’ Jaxir’s gaze sharpened.

He didn’t have an immediate method of dealing with this. His feet kicked at the air but couldn’t find any purchase. The pit had opened up so quickly and with such perfect timing that Jaxir wasn’t near enough a wall to kick off of it.

Luckily, his mind was only becoming sharper the healthier he became.

His hand was already moving by the time he finished his curse. He pulled out Twinkle Pulse from his Vestigem Card holster.

―

Name: Twinkle Pulse

Grade: Uncommon

MP Cost: 4

Description: Form a star of light that pulses with a strong repelling force, shoving enemies and diverting attacks away.

Recommended Classes: Magic; Tank

―

Jaxir’s eyes glowed as his mind felt out every curving circuit within the card. He aimed it at the walls his foot was too far away to reach.

A pulsing wave reached it instantly, blowing Jaxir back.

Spinning in the air, Jaxir planted his foot against the wall and pushed himself up.

His eyes widened as he saw the trap door about to close.

’You’ve gotta be kidding.’

Jaxir laughed beside himself. His Twinkle Mana surged. The last instant of contact his toes spent with the walls suddenly grew far fiercer.

BANG.

He shot out of the sliver, landing on the ground deftly to find that Tayo was now ahead of him.

’Huh? Did he not...’

Jaxir paused for a second only to watch Tayo dodge out of the way of a trap before it even took shape.

’... He knows the obstacle course already.’

Jaxir’s gaze flickered as he realized the problem. Tayo probably never fell into the trap door because he was ready for it.

’Well... I guess that makes things more interesting.’

Jaxir’s eyes glowed and he shot ahead even faster than before. Every time his foot hit the ground, he pushed against it with a weaker version of Twinkle Pulse. It was burning his mana away a lot faster, but he had no choice.

At the same time, he activated Encore and reformed Twinkle Pulse.

’I need to use it again.’

Jaxir had bought two of each Twinkle Mana Vestigem Card that was available specifically because he wanted to experience the circuits as many times as was possible.

He had gained some understanding of Twinkle Pulse just now, but it wasn’t enough, not if he wanted to bridge the gap between himself and someone clearly cheating.

But he didn’t want to waste it either.

Luckily for him, his next chance came almost instantly.

His eyes were darting around, scanning the atmosphere with dancing pupils. He looked for seams along the ground, swinging obstacles, sudden changes to the landscape―

He leapt over a rolling pillar, dodging to the side of a tumbling boulder. He landed backwards after flipping over a slicing blade, twisting to one side and leaping forward.

He was falling further and further behind as Tayo took more efficient paths every time.

Just as he was about to use Twinkle Pulse again without real purpose, a beam of light appeared in front of him so fast he knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge in time. He would be knocked off the platform and fall to his death.

Jaxir grinned.

Twinkle Pulse.

The beam curved to the side as Jaxir’s eyes burned.

’That’s what I was missing.’

He was thinking about Twinkle Pulse too much like it was just another form of Concussive Wave. Concussive Wave worked by giving mana density and then pushing it out like a wave. But Twinkle Pulse was far more sophisticated.

It wasn’t using mana density, it was using a true repulsion, it was inverting and controlling gravity just like Twinkle Step had.

Jaxir’s Twinkle Mana surged.

―

Cast Lv30 > Cast Lv32

―

Channel Lv30 > Channel Lv32

―

Attune Lv33 > Attune Lv34

―

BANG.

Jaxir leapt up over ten meters, shooting by a spinning contraption without even dodging.

He landed on the ground and immediately bounded forward another ten meters. It almost looked like he was jumping across the surface of the moon, his laughter echoing through the realm.

Tayo heard Jaxir’s laughter getting closer and closer. He was just another few obstacles away from the end, so long as he was calm and pressed his advantage, he should―

Jaxir shot by him. Tayo looked to the side to find Jaxir crossing through the last obstacle and sliding to a stop at the gates he was supposed to reach first.

Jaxir gave him a wave.

"Better luck next time, buddy."

Jaxir disappeared into the gate.