Chapter 155: Field of Skills
———Jeff———
<12: 06 pm>
“So what the heck do we do with this giant field!?” I shouted out loudly into the empty stadium. This is super big and completely accessible. What the heck are we even supposed to do with this thing?
“Race, fight, or other kinds of sports. We have a lot of options.” Qyunda said while cracking her knuckles. “No kidding though. I didn’t even realize we have so much space in the school campus for one of these… How did no one realize the school took up so much space before?”
“Beats me. Still. Why don’t we mess around a bit on New Year's Eve? They opened up more areas randomly on this day, why don’t we make the most out of it?” Malk said with a confident smile. “What do you say? Qyunda. Today, whoever gets the most points gets the top position.”
“Fine by me.” Qyunda said with a big grin on her face. What in the world are they talking about?
“They’re in their own world again…” Sixson said before sighing. It just sorta happens sometimes. Even before the Eclipse they bicker and fight each other pretty often. Though back then they didn't start throwing hands or talk about physical challenges.
“Well. I think we can just ignore them and try out a few features of this place…” Kist said before looking around, still overwhelmed by the size of the stadium. Why do we even have more than one stadium? “This place is so damn big. Is it like… at least a mile?”
“Looks that way, not that any of us get some sort of measurement spell.” Gregori said in response. It is like… comically large for a school property.
Oh? Looks like there are other people coming in here as well. It’s hard to make out from here, this place is so big it could house more than a hundred people.
“Hey, why don’t we go hang out with those guys in the meantime?” I asked while pointing at the group in the distance.
“Sure, why not?” Gregori said while looking at those two still bickering and discussing. “Looks like those two will be in their own world for a while longer anyway.”
“...We still don’t know what sort of mechanics this place has, do we?” Kist said while scratching those cat ears of his. How well do those even work? “Like what kinda features do they have? Where are the panels?”
“Hmm… Well, let’s go meet up with the other group first. Maybe they already found something.” Gregori said and the two of us nodded, following him to the other crowd nearby who seemed to be looking at something.
“How does the race option even work?” A blonde girl asked while scratching her head, her ponytail moving about as she shakes her head. “How the heck is the separated track thing gonna work? Cut the field in half? Make a track that’s boxed in?”
“We won’t know until we try, do we?” Jeyst said, also here as well. I thought they were doing a dungeon run or something? Do they have the stamina for all this stuff? Maybe they’re just looking at things?
“Fancy seeing you guys here!” I said to get their attention. Aside from them and the blonde there is also the snake hair girl that’s always around her, a guy who looks a bit grumpy, and a girl with… fish gills? Do they not have other classmates with them?
“Oh! Hello you three. Guess I ought to expect some of you to be here.” Jeyst said while holding their chin. “Good timing. We were just checking out the panels here and looking at the options.”
“What would they even do?” Gregori asked as he walked closer to get a peek while the blonde still pondered over it.
“Looks like you can set a race course as well as changing the terrain of the stadium. There seems to be multiple of these panels around as well. None of us are really sure how they work.”
“Ugh. Let’s just press a few buttons and see what happens.” The blonde said before pressing something random.
Suddenly a section of this giant field lit up and the terrain suddenly changed. Multiple platforms raised from the ground like this is some sort of parkour course. There is a border of light to indicate the play area as well.
The platforms are all extremely tall with a lot of play area. The goal is high up, but it doesn’t look like something we couldn’t just solve with a single good jump.
“What’s with the arrow patterns on those hologram walls?” They’re pointing down and stuff. Why is there an aesthetic option for that of all things?
“...How about you try stepping inside?” Gregori said while looking at the screen. The heck does that mean?
“Okay?” No idea what that request was about, but I’m not gonna say no. It’s easy enough… Why does the first foot that’s stepped into the area suddenly become way heavier?
Outside… Inside… Outside… Inside… Outside… Inside…
“...Increased gravity?” Kist said after extending his hand into the area and out like I did. “How the heck do they do this? What in the world?”
“At this point, we just have to accept that they can just do whatever the hell they want.” The blonde said before looking up at the floating platform in the air that’s the finish line. “Well? Who wants to take a swing at it? The setting is quadruple the gravity.”
“I call dibs!” I said without thinking too much about it. So what if the gravity is increased fourfold? It’s still not even that tall of a track. First let’s take stuff out of my pocket before getting inside. I should try to get comfortable with this gravity before starting my attempt.
Really does make me feel heavy, but I can manage this just fine…
*Jump* *Leap* *Jump* *Grab* *Crawl*
“Ack!” Okay… So those jumps that don't look so high anymore feel deceptively high. I almost didn’t make it to the next platform since I calculated the jump power wrong. I need to put way more power into it.
*Jump* *Leap* *Jump* *Grab*
These ropes I need to cling onto feel way worse with this increased gravity! It’s like they’re digging into me more than usual! Just ignore it and climb up!
Next are the moving platforms. There’s a good chance I fall since I have no idea how I’m gonna do a precise jump. The length to the other side is way too long with the gravity here… There’s also the tall floating wall that reminds me of those game shows… How about I do this instead? Let’s run at full power!
*Leap* *Dash* *Slip*
…Ah.
*Crash*
“Jeff! You’re alright there?” Gregori said once I hit the ground. “The hell were you doing, trying to do a wall run for? No way in hell that was gonna work without some sticky shoes.”
“I-I’m fine… Damn that fall hurts…” I said before slowly getting back up. It would’ve been getting up quickly without this increased gravity!
*Thud*
“Ack!” I can’t even stand up with this gravity! My legs are like jelly right now.
*Crash* *Sizz* *Zap*
When I finally crawled out of the zone, I could hear things breaking elsewhere. Anyone got a healing option to help with my bones almost breaking?
“Let’s get you on the spot with the cross.” Kist helped drag me to what seems like a healing area just on the edge of the field, next to the control panel.
*Shine*
“Now that’s more like it!” Feel like I have sprung back to life with just that. It’s super convenient not needing to go to the doctor. Pretty much the only reason those places aren’t bankrupt is because they don’t let everyone use it all the time. It also doesn't cure illness, I think. “So what the heck was that commotion over…”
*Punch* *Crash*
Qyunda got hit hard and was sent flying over here, crashing and rolling into the ground.
*Dash* *Swing* *Clash* *Swing* *Block*
Malk came running in and the two started exchanging blows. They’re scrapping already? I thought they were thinking of doing obstacle courses or racing.
*Crack* *Leap* *Throw*
Malk broke one of Qyunda’s swords which caused her to retreat and threw the broken weapon back at him.
*Throw*
She then formed a giant ball of rock and threw it at him as well, rolling on the ground at high speed like some sort of bowling ball.
*Leap* *Kick* *Evade* *Crash* *Shatter*
Malk simply jumped towards it and kicked it right back, forcing Qyunda to move to the side and the rock ball rolling towards our spot and hitting the arrow walls and shattering into pieces.
*Dash* *Swing* *Evade* *Swing* *Evade*
And there they go, going back to fighting all close up and away from us. That rock ball could’ve easily hit us if he was even a bit off with the kick.
“You guys are fucking terrifying.” The blonde one said while the blue-haired one looked like she couldn't find the words. “Don’t worry about these maniacs. They don’t hurt people intentionally… Aside from maybe two. Look out for one with mouse ears and one with black wings.”
“We really ought to put up warning posters for those two at some point.” Gregori said while scratching his head. “Anyway, what next? Is no one else gonna try doing this?”
“I’ll try.” Kist said before walking into the zone.
“Good luck!” I said while he doesn’t bother to respond. Clearly super focus on clearing this course. If it didn’t have the gravity gimmick I could’ve done it in a few seconds.
“By the way. Jeyst. I thought you’d go far into the dungeon and rest? Should you be walking about?” Gregori asked while everyone else was just standing around not doing anything.
“Oh. I have Seni and one other person for the ride. We managed to get pretty far without really exhausting ourselves.” They explained. “We went pretty far, but with those runes to get back to the surface, it wasn’t that exhausting.”
“I see…” Gregori said, not looking like he is interested in pressing the issue further. Meanwhile I can still spot those two fighting on the part of the field that’s not occupied.
Kist is doing pretty well for himself. He is very good at acrobatics and stuff, so this shouldn’t be too hard as long as he has enough strength in his legs.
…Then again, if this was a race course he would’ve probably done it a lot better. Those two might’ve been the big shots in terms of the sports events, but if there’s one guy who might be able to outrun them, it’s him. Even with all the magic powers and such he is still very fast on the ground, not that he can really compete with them in terms of raw power.
*Shine*
The goal platform lit up once he finally landed on it. Awesome!
*Zoom*
And then he was teleported back down and out of the zone.
“It wasn't too hard. The increased gravity was disorienting as all hell though.” He commented. So what other options are there? There is probably some weird stuff there, right?”
“Very likely. We’ll probably be here for a long time before figuring it all out.” Gregori said with his arms crossed.
“I want to at least see some basic options and see how not basic they can get.” Jeyst said with their shoulders shrugged. Meanwhile the three who aren’t from our class are talking among themselves.
*Grab* *Spin* *Crash*
Those two are still fighting. They’re pretty damn tough if being flung around and smashed into the ground multiple times still don’t stop either of them.
*Zap*
Qyunda got zapped.
*Crash*
Malk got a giant rock thrown at him.
*Sizz* *Splash*
Both of them throw fire and water magic at each other. How long is that gonna go on for?
“...Honestly. Somehow it feels like they cause way more mayhem than those two, even though neither are crazy killers.” Gregori said as he looked through the options on the control panel.
“More or less what happens when you see one duo fight more often than the other.” Jeyst remarked. Yeah. I don’t think any of us had seen the damages those two caused firsthand often.
Which is a good thing, ain’t it? It means they know to play nice, which is all any of us were really asking for.