Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 03 - Nine Schools Competition (I)

by Sato Tsutomu

  "Correction, please say interesting gentleman. In my eyes, high school students are all immature kids that are completely undependable."

  "Really~? I don't think all the boys our age are like that, maybe because you've been seeing the wrong people?"

  "Yeah, Isori-senpai looks pretty tolerant, right? More importantly, he looks like a decent guy."

  "I feel kind of empty going after someone with a girlfriend already, you know? Also in Isori-senpai's case, his girlfriend has already advanced to fiancée."

  "Speaking of dependable, I guess that has to be Juumonji-senpai?"

  "Nah, Juumonji-senpai is too dependable. Not only that, he's also the Ten Master Clans' future successor."

  "Speaking of successors of the Ten Master Clans, there's the successor for the Ichijou Family from Third High, right?"

  "Ah, I saw him, he's pretty hot."

  "Yeah, I know you shouldn't judge boys by outward appearances, but it certainly doesn't hurt if he is easy on the eyes."

  ......Just like that.

  All of a sudden, Eimi suddenly thrust the conversation back to Miyuki, who was sitting in the corner of the bath letting the (mental) exhaustion soak out of her.

  "Speaking of Ichijou from Third High, he was watching Miyuki with burning eyes."

  Eimi was speaking to Miyuki, but Miyuki was unable to respond to these words.

  "Eh, really?"

  "Maybe it was love at first sight?"

  "This is Miyuki we're talking about, it's highly possible."

  "You should say that it would be strange for boys not to fall in love with Miyuki at first sight, right?"

  "Maybe they knew each other from long ago."

  Everyone listening let out delighted shrieks.

  "Miyuki, is that true?"

  Shizuku didn't join the shrieking and adopted a serious tone — Shizuku's tone lacked the normal voice inflection, so even if she personally didn't intend to, she still came across as being solemn — as she asked Miyuki.

  Miyuki's response was:

  "......Allow me to be perfectly clear, I've only seen Ichijou-kun in pictures and didn't even know where he was located during the banquet."

  This might qualify as being callous or sheer overkill, and if Third High had heard Miyuki's response, morale probably would have plummeted. The young girls bursting with expectations were all taken aback upon hearing this answer.

  Even so, there were always people who refused to surrender.

  "If that's the case, what type of guy does Miyuki like? Is it truly like your brother's type?"

  The one who reacted to Subaru's words was not Miyuki, but Honoka instead. Her body tensed momentarily, which was only detected by Shizuku who was sitting beside her.

  Miyuki displayed an incredibly calm attitude and an almost wordless expression as she answered Subaru.

  "I have no idea where you think this is going...... But Onii-sama and I are siblings by blood, so I've never seen Onii-sama as a romantic partner. Also, I don't believe there's anyone else in the entire world that could be the same as Onii-sama."

  Hearing Miyuki's reply, Subaru and Eimi were distinctly disappointed (Subaru's expression looked a little forced).

  Afterwards, no one else questioned Miyuki and Tatsuya's relationship.

  Yet, within the bath, two girls did not fully accept Miyuki's answer.

  In Miyuki's tone, Honoka and Shizuku read something entirely different from the words "I've never seen Onii-sama as a romantic partner".

  ◇◇◇

  After Tatsuya dispatched Miyuki and company back to their rooms — though he became the subject of their conversations with their teammates in the underground onsen — he continued adjusting the Activation Sequences in the storage vehicles.

  "Shiba-kun, it's about time to call it a night."

  Hearing these words, Tatsuya glanced around to find only one other person in the vehicle with him.

  "It's that late already?"

  The time was roughly midnight.

  Isori revealed a gender neutral smile and nodded at Tatsuya's words (By the way, Isori's wardrobe and hairstyle were both neutral, causing Tatsuya to suspect this senpai of his intentionally dressed in a non-masculine manner).

  "The participants Shiba-kun is responsible for compete on the 4th day, so I think it's not a good idea to be so tense from the start."

  "You're right."

  Tatsuya was on duty for the 1st Year female students in Speed Shooting, Icicle Destruction, and Mirage Bat. This was partially born of Miyuki and company's wishes, but also because of the 1st Year male students (especially Morisaki) stonewalling him in defiance (Miyuki was participating in Icicle Destruction and Mirage Bat, Honoka in Battle Board and Mirage Bat, and Shizuku in Speed Shooting and Icicle Destruction).

  The 1st Year Division — the Newcomers Division was set between the 4th and 8th days of the contest.

  Compared to the auxiliaries in charge of the participants competing tomorrow, Tatsuya had considerably more time on his hands.

  Kanon was set to participate in Icicle Destruction on the 2nd and 3rd days, but Isori was in charge of participants appearing on stage tomorrow.

  "Then, senpai, I'm taking my leave."

  Tatsuya intentionally avoided inviting Isori to also call it quits and left the storage vehicle by himself.

  Despite being near midnight, evenings in the height of summer did not have a noticeably lower temperature.

  Perfect for taking a stroll in T-shirts.

  Tatsuya opted not to head directly back to his room and strolled around the perimeter of the hotel, where he detected an oddly nervous presence.

  This presence told him that someone was holding his breath while surveying the premises.

  Initially, Tatsuya thought this was a thief, but quickly rejected this line of thinking.

  A presence that desired to hide itself but was unable to, reeked of bloodthirsty impulses.

  Tatsuya spread out his senses and directly linked to the information dimension — the colossal information body that contained the data for the myriad objects around him.

  (Three people in total, located near...... The railings near the hotel camouflaged to look like foliage.)

  Each of them carried handguns and small explosives.

  Even if they were in the outer periphery of the hotel, they were well within areas under military jurisdiction, and the security around the base definitely wasn't that relaxed. Pickets and cameras would monitor the entrances and immediately deny all infiltrators and were especially merciless toward armed and dangerous individuals.

  These guys were malefactors who had penetrated the security perimeter and had even prepared explosives.

  Despite not having a CAD on hand, they were too dangerous to be ignored.

  Tatsuya soundlessly began to sprint.

  His senses captured an ally that was also rapidly approaching the three suspicious individuals.

  His sneaking skills were not inferior to Tatsuya's own.

  According to their starting positions, even though the two of them were approaching the targets at similar velocity — Mikihiko was going to make contact first.

  As Tatsuya sprinted forward, he also began constructing support magics.

  His Magic Power was so specialized that he could only use certain magics and, even without a CAD, as long as he was using those magics, he was equal to any other Magician using a CAD in terms of speed, detail and strength.

  Mikihiko began invoking his magic.

  He wasn't using a CAD.

  The data provided through the information dimension told Tatsuya that this wasn't an illusion, it was a concept.

  Mikihiko pulled out three fortune tellers — probably meant to be charms.

  Mikihiko wasn't planning on using modern magic, he was using Ancient Magic.

  Before Tatsuya "knew" this, psions flew through Tatsuya's hands into the developing technique.

  Modern magic and Ancient Magic were grounded in the same fundamental
theory, which is using interference with the "data" attached to an "existence" and taking one step further to rewrite the "phenomenon".

  The difference lay in how the interference worked and was expressed.

  The magic system that Mikihiko used did not construct the interfering information body (the Magic Sequence) in the Magic Calculation Area, but split this into three steps: add data into the charm in his hand to turn it into a medium, float the now disconnected "material" into the information dimension to morph it into "independent, non-material information body" and control it, then try to rewrite the phenomenon.

  Compared to the ability of information bodies that can directly interact with phenomena, such as information bodies from modern magic, this system possessed inferior speed and flexibility, but was less susceptible to resistance to phenomenon-rewriting. If this was phenomenon rewriting within certain parameters, Ancient Magic could accomplish large scale effects while using less power than modern magic.

  For Tatsuya, who could dissect Magic Sequences in an instant, all of these details flashed across his mind in a short instant.

  He also noticed a trace of distress within Mikihiko's technique.

  (He's not going to make it.)

  The magic Mikihiko was using had too many unnecessary hurdles, lengthening the casting time to intolerable degrees.

  Tatsuya set the target for "dissolution" as the handgun in the miscreants' hands.

  The reason Mikihiko detected the perilous presence was because he was in the middle of magic training.

  This was one of the deepest corners in the hotel gardens.

  Far from any buildings, he found a location in the area surrounding the hotel where no one would come snooping to begin his daily "training".

  "Spirits" are an assemblage formed from "concepts" such as "wind, water, fire, earth" and are far removed from individual phenomena. The basic training from Divine Earth Magic (Spirit Magic) is to synchronize oneself with the spirits' senses.

  From modern magic's perspective, spirits are things that have broken away from their actual bodies and are information bodies floating in an ocean of data.

  They move about as a concept in the information world, assemble together as a conceptual expression, and materialize in the actual world.

  Rumors say there is a way to detect these "non-material bodies".

  Still, through contact with these types of "spirits", Mikihiko truly felt that they "existed" in the actual world.

  This was not grounded in theory, but through his perception and feelings.

  For Mikihiko, spirits truly existed in this location and were existences that possessed consciousness. With this type of contact, spirits were able to inform Mikihiko about all sorts of "details" and "objects".

  Just as Mikihiko started this synchronization training, he "learned" that there were people on the outskirts of the hotel.

  Originally, he thought they were people out on business or patrolling soldiers, so he didn't pay much attention.

  It was only after the spirits repeatedly notified him that Mikihiko realized this might be a warning.

  Synchronized with the spirits, he spread the spirits' senses towards the direction they warned him.

  What he caught was a thread of "malice".

  Mikihiko's expression tightened.

  For a moment, he debated whether he should call for backup or engage by himself.

  Mikihiko wasn't confident he could suppress any opponent in his current state. He was reluctant to admit it, but it was true that he wasn't confident. Thus, he bit his lip and elected to return to the hotel and call it in.

  However, his emotions protested this logical choice.

  Something other than logic told him that there wasn't enough time.

  The agitation surging through his body was like the spirits warning him to "act quickly".

  Rather than head towards the hotel, Mikihiko charged towards the "malice".

  He was worried.

  He questioned whether he was able to overcome the firearms the opponents were carrying.

  Very few Magicians were able to triumph over firearms in extreme close quarters combat.

  If there was cover, magic that was unaffected by line of sight or obstacles had the advantage.

  In situations where cover was not available, Magicians had a hard time countering the speed at which a trigger could be pulled.

  Still, Mikihiko expelled these concerns as cowardice and forged ahead.

  Yesterday's events flashed across his mind.

  Mikihiko was forced to work as a servant under his father's orders.

  Erika said this was due to a clerical error, but Mikihiko knew the truth behind the matter.

  —Go and behold where you should be standing.

  Two nights ago, his father said that to him.

  Working as a servant was only a method to get to his objective.

  Maybe Mikihiko's father wanted him to see his peers in glory to shock him out of his current state.

  Maybe his father wanted to arouse an angry determination.

  Yet, these words and methods only lodged themselves deep in Mikihiko's soul as overwhelming humiliation.

  At this time, Mikihiko wanted to demonstrate that "he wasn't powerless".

  The location was a night sky illuminated by a few sparse stars, but the Yoshida Family's training methods included nocturnal training in pitch darkness.

  Even relying only on star light, this was no obstacle whatsoever.

  As he closed in on the sense of malice that could now readily be identified as human, Mikihiko prepared his talismans.

  Three targets required three talismans.

  His targets should have already noticed Mikihiko's approach.

  The enmity and malice directed towards Mikihiko verified that these three were the malefactors.

  No time to hesitate.

  Enmity had already turned into killing intent.

  Hesitation would lead to failure.

  The targets' identification were not first priority.

  Mikihiko channeled magic power into the talismans and started invoking his magic.

  A flashing light appeared in Mikihiko's right hand, which twinkled in time with the electricity formed above the malefactors' heads.

  Lightning would strike them in less than a second.

  Still, it took less than one second to pull the trigger.

  Seeing this, Tatsuya immediately made the call and invoked the prepared "dissolution" magic.

  The three handguns in the three malefactors' hands fell apart according to the change in their information bodies.

  Immediately afterwards—

  The miniature lightning strike threw down all three of the targets.

  "Who is it!"

  Mikihiko demanded in a stern voice, not towards the enemies currently lying on the other side of the railing, but to the Magician who came to his aid from behind.

  Mikihiko understood perfectly.

  His magic wasn't going to make it in time.

  The reason he was uninjured was because another Magician offered his aid.

  This skirmish forced him to concede that his magic had lost its former alacrity.

  "It's me."

  "Tatsuya?"

  From Mikihiko's breath alone, one could tell that he suffered a terrible blow.

  However, Tatsuya only made a brief response and didn't stop before vaulting onto the railing.

  Using personal Weight Magic to lessen the gravitational pull, he easily flipped over the two meter tall railing.

  Mikihiko blankly watched him leave before recovering himself and pulling out a new talisman and executed the same Weight Magic.

  When Mikihiko landed on the far side of the railing, Tatsuya was already kneeling down next to the fallen intruders.

  "Tatsuya?"

  This word contained several intermixed questions.

  Even Mikihiko himself wasn't sure what he wanted to ask.

  "They're not dead. Well done."
/>
  Tatsuya appeared to be answering his question regarding the intruders' status, or he may have seen through Mikihiko's state of panic and elected to answer in the least confusing manner.

  "Ah?"

  Mikihiko didn't understand why Tatsuya was praising him.

  He masochistically thought that he should be the one who was taken out.

  "Limited visibility on the targets, precision large ranged attack on multiple targets, even with capture as first priority, no fatal injuries were inflicted and only one blow was sufficient to deprive mobility. I say this rates as an excellent combat result."

  Tatsuya's words were calm enough to be called callous, but just hearing them alone was enough to know that he was just being polite or comforting.

  The one Mikihiko couldn't believe was himself, not Tatsuya.

  "......But my magic originally wasn't going to make it in time and, without Tatsuya's backup, I would have been shot."

  The words sprouted from Mikihiko's mouth were self-derisively beyond his own control.

  "How foolish."

  "......Ah?"

  However, Tatsuya's direct reprimand was enough to render Mikihiko unable to continue berating himself.

  "'If there was no backup' is only an assumption. Your magic was successfully able to capture the intruders — that is the only truth."

  "............"

  Tatsuya's merciless scolding and subsequent points astounded Mikihiko.

  "In reality, I did provide support, and your magic was successful, so what do you mean 'originally'? Mikihiko, what exactly did you think was going to happen?"

  "That......"

  "No matter how many opponents there are and how well-trained they are, a Magician should be able to triumph without any backup. I sincerely hope you are not operating under these assumptions?"

  Mikihiko suddenly felt like the bottom of his stomach was giving out.

  He understood very clearly how ridiculous the "assumptions" that Tatsuya referred to were.

  Yet, in the inner depths of his heart, did he never truly stop and consider the assumptions Tatsuya was mentioning?

  "Seriously...... I'll intentionally say this again. Mikihiko, you are very foolish."