by Yuu Miyazaki
Copyright
THE ASTERISK WAR, Vol. 4
YUU MIYAZAKI
Translation by Melissa Tanaka
Cover art by okiura
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
© Yuu Miyazaki 2013
First published in Japan in 2013 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION. English translation rights reserved by Yen Press, LLC under the license from KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo, through TUTTLE-MORI AGENCY, INC. Tokyo.
English translation © 2017 by Yen Press, LLC
Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Miyazaki, Yuu, author. | Tanaka, Melissa, translator.
Title: The asterisk war / Yuu Miyazaki ; translation by Melissa Tanaka.
Other titles: Gakusen toshi asterisk. English
Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2016– | v. 1. Encounter with a fiery princess—v. 2. Awakening of silver beauty—v. 3. The phoenix war dance—v. 4. Quest for days lost | Audience: Ages 13 & up.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016023755 | ISBN 9780316315272 (v. 1 : paperback) | ISBN 9780316398589 (v. 2 : paperback) | ISBN 9780316398602 (v. 3 : paperback) | ISBN 9780316398626 (v. 4 : paperback)
Subjects: | CYAC: Science fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Science Fiction / Adventure.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.M635 As 2016 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016023755
ISBNs: 978-0-316-39862-6 (paperback)
978-0-316-39864-0 (ebook)
E3-20170721-JV-PC
Contents
Cover
Insert
Title Page
Copyright
Map
Chapter 1: The Master of Jie Long
Chapter 2: Round Five
Chapter 3: The Visitor
Chapter 4: Doubts
Chapter 5: His Sister and His Old Friend
Chapter 6: The Second Key
Chapter 7: Unyielding Determination
Epilogue
Afterword
Yen Newsletter
CHAPTER 1
THE MASTER OF JIE LONG
At the southeastern point of Asterisk stood Jie Long Seventh Institute. A network of buildings and covered walkways crisscrossed its grounds, and gardens and plazas were situated around the edifices, designed in the style of traditional Chinese architecture. Overall, the layout resembled a single sprawling palace rather than a school.
At one corner of the campus, there was a building known as the Hall of the Yellow Dragon. Its three stories, red pillars, and yellow tiled roofing did little to set it apart from the other campus buildings at first glance. However, every student at Jie Long knew its special significance.
Though to be precise, it was not the building that was special so much as the person to whom it belonged.
The inheritor of the alias Ban’yuu Tenra—Immanent Heaven.
The ruler of Jie Long.
The one who, at the tender age of six, had ascended to this position three years ago. Her name was Xinglou Fan.
“Master, it is almost time for the regular meeting.” At the entrance to the great hall, Zhao Hufeng placed his right fist in his left palm in a gesture of obeisance.
Hufeng was the fifth-ranked fighter at Jie Long Seventh Institute, with a well-honed physique, if a little on the short side. He was a young man of seventeen, though his soft, shapely features and his long hair often led people to mistake him for a girl. Once known as a child prodigy, he had taken second place in the previous Phoenix Tournament in a splendid performance.
Although remembering himself from those days made him dizzy with agony over how little he had known.
“Ah, has it grown so late already?” The little girl, who had been standing in the center of the room, turned with a childish smile.
With her long black hair styled in loops like butterfly wings, and the old-fashioned Jie Long uniform that suited her well, she was an adorable child—and still quite small, barely reaching Hufeng’s chest.
For those who did not already know, it would be all but impossible to believe that this girl was none other than Xinglou Fan, the Ban’yuu Tenra, the top-ranked fighter of Asterisk’s largest school.
“Well then, let us conclude here. Good work, all. Challenge me again whenever you like,” Xinglou said, surveying the room. Several dozen out-of-breath students lay collapsed on the floor.
They were all students who had tried to become disciples of Xinglou herself.
Currently, Xinglou had some fifty pupils training directly under her. Considering that some martial arts instructors at Jie Long had several hundred pupils, this was not an extraordinary number. However, all fifty were members of Jie Long’s Named Cult, and of the twelve members of its Page One, eleven trained under Xinglou.
Which was to say, most of the notable fighters at Jie Long were Xinglou’s pupils.
“No one passed your test again?” Hufeng asked.
“No—most unfortunate.”
The two left the room and walked along the gallery overlooking the courtyard.
To become Xinglou’s pupil, one needed to pass only a simple test: Make contact with Xinglou within the allotted time. That was all.
But Hufeng knew all too well how difficult that task was. Dozens of students, confident in their abilities and attempting the test at the same time, were still completely unable to lay a single finger on her small body. Xinglou did nothing besides evade them, not even deflecting their hands, never mind attacking.
“By the way, Hufeng. Did you happen to see the matches today?”
“The matches? Do you mean the Phoenix?”
Of course Hufeng watched his peers battle. Nine teams from Jie Long had advanced to the main tournament, and after the conclusion of the fourth round today, five had made it to the final bracket of sixteen—the most teams among the six schools. All the fighters had studied under Xinglou.
“There was one intriguing lad. Seidoukan’s first-ranked student—Ayato Amagiri, was it? Those automatons from Allekant weren’t bad, but in terms of raw ability that boy stood out from the rest. Very interesting, indeed.”
“Oh, yes, in the eleventh match.”
Hufeng realized she was referring to the battle pitting Seidoukan’s first-ranked against Le Wolfe’s third. A fight involving two skilled Orga Lux wielders.
However…
“It seems his powers are restricted,” Hufeng said.
It was still only speculation, but the Jie Long intelligence organization had already gathered a significant amount of data. According to their information, the student in question could only maintain his full strength for a short period.
On top of that, it was rumored that once he released his power, he could not do so again for a set amount of time. But this last bit of intel had leaked from Le Wolfe, which made its veracity questionable.
“Likely the doing of a Strega or a Dante.” Xinglou let out a small laugh. “I’d say that only makes things more interesting.”
“I believe his next opponents are Song and Luo…”
Song and Luo were students of Xinglou, junior to Hufeng, and formidable fighters listed in the Named Cult.
“Yes. I’m looking forward to seeing how they approach the fight.”
Under ordinary circumstances, the first-ranked fighter of any school would by definition be a difficult opponent. And by all appearances, Ayato had the skills to back up his rank.
A time limit to his abilities, however, would be a critical weakness. There were countless ways to exploit it for victory.
And if the rumors about Ayato requiring a period of rest were true, there was almost no way that Song and Luo could lose. His partner—Seidoukan’s fifth-ranked, Glühen Rose, the Witch of the Resplendent Flames—was not to be underestimated, either. Still, if they could corner her into a two on one fight at close quarters, they should be able to overwhelm her.
“Well, in any event, I’ve taken a liking to Ayato Amagiri. He has no shortage of talent, and seems to possess some mettle, too. I very much want him as a protégé. He would need only five—no, three years of training before becoming able to keep me entertained.”
“Are you dissatisfied with your pupils?” Hufeng asked glumly.
Xinglou burst into laughter. “Not at all. Think of it as a fine meal. The more flavors one can enjoy, the better.”
“If you say so…”
“Take the leader of Stjarnagarm—a delight indeed. Even blessed with abilities like hers, it is remarkable that only a few decades of devoted training have brought her to that level of skill. I should like to try her again, but she doesn’t seem to return the sentiment,” Xinglou mused, reflecting on the past with a distant gaze. “Ayato Amagiri could reach that level if only I could train him myself. Ah, what a shame. Why didn’t he come to our school…? Hufeng, isn’t there anything we can do?”
“As much as I’d like to…”
As a general rule, students were not allowed to transfer after matriculating into one of the six schools.
“Huh? Wait,” Hufeng said, realizing something. “When that match was going on, weren’t you in the middle of the test with your applicants…?”
“Yes. What of it?”
“What of…” Hufeng held a hand against his forehead at Xinglou’s nonchalant response. “You were watching? While facing them all?”
“A good way to give them a fighting chance, don’t you think?” Xinglou laughed heartily and took out her mobile device.
Hufeng sighed. “You might think of their feelings, too. That test is devastating for one’s confidence as it is.”
“Perhaps some will find it inspiring. Honestly, you are far too serious.”
Xinglou had glossed over his admonition without so much as a moment’s hesitation. Hufeng sighed again. “Forgive me for saying so, but…it’s not that I’m too serious. Rather, you indulge yourself too much, master. Please practice a little restraint.”
“That’s an impossible request,” Xinglou replied. “I am here for the sole purpose of amusing myself. No one has the power to stop me. What do you think the title of ‘Immanent Heaven’ is for?”
Her response was beyond selfish, but there was undisputable truth in it.
That title took precedence over all other authority within the Jie Long Seventh Institute—including its integrated enterprise foundation.
It occurred to Hufeng that they had walked a considerable distance since leaving the great hall, but the cloister seemed to continue on endlessly. And the number of rooms they had passed could not possibly fit inside this building. The Hall of the Yellow Dragon itself was unmistakably smaller than the space inside it.
No one but Xinglou knew what technology made this possible, or even how many rooms were in the Hall of the Yellow Dragon. Even Hufeng, her third pupil, was unable to reach any room in this palace without his master’s permission.
The person who constructed this enormous hall was none other than the first Ban’yuu Tenra, and it was said she had done so alone in a single night.
Ever since, only the inheritor of that alias could open the gates of the Hall of the Yellow Dragon. Including Xinglou, only three people had ever held the title.
The first Ban’yuu Tenra, who came to Asterisk in its early days, had spread the mana-wielding technique of Seisenjutsu and was known as the founder of Jie Long. On one hand, this great individual had built the Hall of the Yellow Dragon, trained teachers of Seisenjutsu, and established the institute itself. On the other, she was said to have personally made numerous secret pacts with the integrated enterprise foundation. When she left Jie Long, she declared her successor to be “the one who can open the gates to the Hall of the Yellow Dragon.” Many students attempted to do so, but a long time passed before one finally succeeded.
The second Ban’yuu Tenra appeared more than a decade later. She opened the gates to the Hall, which were built to respond only to a certain kind of prana, and won the first grand slam in the history of Asterisk. After graduating, she worked there as a teacher to continue mentoring her juniors, and now she was called the mother of Jie Long’s renaissance. Upon leaving the institute, she left the same parting words as her predecessor.
And three years ago, the third Ban’yuu Tenra, Xinglou, had appeared at this school. The small child opened the gates to the Hall of the Yellow Dragon with effortless ease—gates that had remained shut for more than a decade since the second Ban’yuu Tenra had left. Xinglou took her place as the master of the Hall like it was the natural order of things.
The way she carried herself, as if she knew everything about every corner of the Hall of the Yellow Dragon, as well as the manners and knowledge that hardly suited someone her age, sparked constant rumors within Jie Long. Xinglou never offered a word to explain such things, and Hufeng had decided some time ago that he would not concern himself with it.
His master was his master. That was enough for him.
Just then, a boy and girl walking toward them in the corridor spoke up.
“There you are, master. We were looking for you.”
“Oh, and Brother Zhao, too. It has been a while.”
They reverently wrapped their fists and bowed in greeting.
Hufeng frowned slightly at this, but Xinglou halted without a flicker of unease in her innocent smile. “Oh, it’s you two. What news?” she said.
The pair squinted back, smiling.
“Well, it’s nothing much. We simply—”
“—wished to report on our victory today.”
The girl finished the sentence the boy started.
Their words flowed as naturally together as if a single person were speaking, but that perfect synchronization itself was eerie.
The boy was Shenyun Li, and the girl, Shenhua Li. They were siblings, as their names suggested—and the twins who were the ninth- and tenth-ranked Page One fighters of Jie Long.
Being related, they resembled each other closely. Except that Shenhua wore her hair in buns, one could hardly tell them apart.
“Yes, I was watching,” Xinglou said. “An impressive win, indeed.”
“You’re too kind. We have much to learn—”
“—and much training to do.”
Even as they spoke those words, their voices betrayed their pride. They exuded an extreme confidence that bordered on arrogance.
“Hah. You don’t mean that in the least,” scoffed Xinglou. “Now, if you woul
d get to the point?”
“We can’t hide anything from you, master. Well…” Shenyun paused, then flashed a bold grin. “At this rate, we’ll face Brothers Song and Luo in Round Six, and so—”
“—we thought we should have a word with you first, master.”
Xinglou cocked her head. “It’s not rare for students of the same school to find themselves pitted against one another in a Festa. I see no need for a consultation.”
“Well, you’re right, of course… How shall we put this? There are many points on which we don’t see eye to eye with the Wood sect—”
“—and we’ve had more than a few disagreements with them.”
Observing the malicious grins on the twins’ faces, Hufeng’s frown deepened.
Xinglou’s trainees fell largely into two groups. One was called the Wood sect and trained with a focus on martial arts; the other was the Water sect, which primarily studied Seisenjutsu. For various reasons, some of the daoshi of the Water sect regarded the fighters of the Wood sect with scorn, and the relationship between the two factions was strained at best.
The twins were a typical example of such daoshi.
“I fail to see your point. You’ll have to tell me plainly.”
At Xinglou’s prodding, the twins exchanged a meaningful look.
“What we’re saying is if we do face members of the Wood sect—”
“—there’s a chance that we might go a little too far.”
“What—?!” Hufeng, who had managed to restrain himself in front of his master, paled in anger.
They had all but declared they would use the match as a pretext to settle personal scores. As the leader of the Wood sect, Hufeng could not quietly abide this.
“Oh-ho! You might have said so from the beginning! You two are a troublesome pair,” Xinglou said with a laugh, then gave a composed nod and lifted one hand to hush the irate Hufeng. “But do as you wish. My intent is to teach you strength. I have no interest in lecturing you on right and wrong.”
“Master—!”
Ignoring Hufeng’s protests, the twins contentedly bowed their heads.
“You are too generous, master.”
“We are unworthy.”