by Sato Tsutomu
[Auto Restoration Ability Auto Activate]
[Magic Sequence Uploading]
[Core · Eidos · Data Retrieving from storage]
[Restoration Commence — Complete]
—This sequence was completed even before Tatsuya could even consciously realize this.
Subconscious signal processing vastly outstripped conscious signal processing in terms of speed.
By the time he realized he was collapsing, his flesh had already been restored.
Within easy grasp of his fingers, a pair of motionless legs could be seen.
Tatsuya had no clue why Masaki stood there frozen and completely defenseless.
Currently, that reason did not concern him.
Before he even took the time to dwell on that subject, his body had already risen to its feet.
He took a step forward with his right foot and stretched his right arm past Masaki's face that was appalled with shock.
The right hand that stabbed forth was never intended to strike Masaki, and just as it passed Masaki's ear an explosion that was on the same level as a flash bang sprang from Tatsuya's right hand.
The roar rendered the observation deck utterly silent.
Even Kichijouji, who was still locked in combat, couldn't help but stop his actions and turn to look.
On Tatsuya's right hand, his thumb was pressed tightly against the tip of his index finger as he held his inter-crossed fingers before him.
Under the gaze of the all the players, judges, spectators, and supporters, Masaki sank to the floor while Tatsuya powerlessly fell to his knees.
"What? What the heck just happened?"
Her face and voice unified in complete panic, Mayumi inquired of her neighbors.
No one answered her.
Neither Suzune nor Azusa could answer Mayumi's question.
"......He snapped his fingers and then amplified the volume."
The answer came from Katsuto, who was directly across from Suzune.
"......That sounds about right. He simply amplified the sound wave. Such a cacophony would likely rupture his eardrums and the semicircular canals, thus incapacitating Ichijou-kun. Certainly well within the confines of the rules."
Suzune said after Katsuto.
"While the sound was amplified many decibels higher, the magic that was used earlier was solely from the Oscillation System. That's why Tatsuya-kun, who doesn't excel in activating magic at high speeds, could still accomplish this in such a swift manner."
"That was obvious right from the start! Anyone could tell that from seeing the right hand!"
However, Mayumi's mood seemed to blacken even more at these explanations.
"I am asking why was Tatsuya-kun able to rise after sustaining Ichijou-kun's attacks that should have crippled him!
Wasn't Tatsuya-kun taken out right there!?
His counter with 'Gram Demolition' was clearly not in time, right!?
He should have taken at least two hits!
So why has Tatsuya-kun taken damage that is beyond the maximum threshold for destruction and is still able to continue to fight!?"
"Saegusa, calm down!"
Mayumi took the news that Tatsuya might have sustained terrible injuries extremely poorly, as evidenced by her ashen face. Katsuto tried to calm her in a solemn voice.
"I saw the same scene, but the truth of the matter is that Shiba stood on his feet and moved in a manner that someone with grievous injuries is simply incapable of and defeated the enemy. Based on his current appearance, he appears to have suffered damage from the sound attack he released and not any other major injury."
"But......"
"Isn't Shiba an expert in antiquated martial arts? Rumor has it that the older styles contained physical arts that could strengthen the body and techniques that could mitigate blows directed towards the body. This is probably something similar to that."
"............"
Even though she wasn't entirely convinced of the veracity of Katsuto's words, Mayumi still recovered her calm.
"Our knowledge does not make up the entirety of the world. Magic is not the only 'miracle' out there.
In addition, the match isn't over yet."
"......You're absolutely correct. I apologize, Juumonji-kun. Sorry, Rin-chan."
As Mayumi was reconciling with Suzune, the battle entered a new phase.
"No matter when I see his Self-Restoration, the sight always impresses me to no end."
Fujibayashi turned a half skeptical look at Yamanaka, who was happily remarking on the situation — albeit with an appropriately lowered volume to account for the crowd around them.
"......Did you really see Self-Restoration actually activating? I, for one, didn't see the psion waves generated by spell activation."
"Neither did I. I doubt Kudou-sama noticed either. That being said, the speed of his Self-Restoration ability has long since surpassed the realms of human cognition speeds."
After reaching this point, Yamanaka finally noticed Fujibayashi glaring severely at him.
"Ah, no — I didn't see anything. Of course I didn't see Shiba Tatsuya-kun use some sort of theoretically impossible Self-Restoration ability. Seriously, his endurance is superhuman. How interesting!"
Yamanaka said lightly while indulging in delighted laughter. Fujibayashi stared at him in perplexity.
"Regardless, please don't call him in so you can run experiments on him. He's one of the only two people in this country, and rumored to be among the 50 or so precious assets with Strategic-Class abilities!"
"Somehow, I don't think he's such a weakling that he'd fall apart after one or two experiments."
"Whether he would fall apart is not the problem here!"
At this merciless scolding, Yamanaka quickly shrank his neck in.
"Fine, but no matter how we slice it...... He used that thing, just like Fujibayashi said he would."
"Indeed, Ichijou-kun is simply too tough an opponent with a low quality CAD. I think that even Flash Cast would be legitimate here."
"Single Systematic Flash Cast, eh. Oh well, at least he managed to keep our secrets."
The ones who wanted Flash Cast to remain a secret were the Yotsuba Family and not the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion. This ability was considered too unethical for even the military to adopt.
The Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion labeled Tatsuya's original magic as classified. Even in the direst straits, Tatsuya stuck to his guns and never used "Decomposition", only activating his Personal Restoration ability, which was something that no one could identify even if they saw it anyway. This way, Tatsuya only drew the attention of the masses. Otherwise, from the military's perspective, a prized military asset like Tatsuya should be constantly protected from the influence of foreign elements.
At the same time, that would also severely limit his personal freedom. If the situation developed in that direction, the military would be forced to consider opposing, no, flat out countermeasures against Tatsuya. While his words were irksome, Yamanaka actually heaved a sigh of relief at the current outcome.
"The CAD in his left hand is calibrated for Oscillation-Type Magic precisely to cover for this. He's just as prudent as always."
"If that's a high school student, there is something seriously wrong with this world. But, Flash Cast...... If he was an enemy, that sort of speed would be a terrifying threat."
Fujibayashi expressed her sincere acknowledgement of Yamanaka's words.
"Indeed...... That's practically brainwashing the brain into carving the images of the Activation Sequences into memory, then directly recalling the Activation Sequence from memory without the aid of a CAD. This ability completely bypasses the need for the CAD to spread and read the Activation Sequences......
In his situation, the calculation area in his consciousness has taken this to the next level. By being able to construct Magic Sequences from memory, he also avoids the time needed to construct Magic Sequences in real time...... This way, he has abs
olutely replaced the deficit in processing speed."
"More like made up for and then some. Do we even have someone in the troop that can beat the speed he just displayed? Even Yanagi, who shares the same systematic talent, is only barely able to match him."
"......True, I can't think of anyone else."
The two of them were no longer watching the match.
They were solely focused on Tatsuya, who was still kneeling on the ground.
Kichijouji was utterly panic stricken.
He could not believe the scene that lay before his eyes.
Masaki was stretched out on the ground.
Even though his opponent, Tatsuya, was also kneeling on the floor, light still dwelt within his eyes.
In other words......
(Masaki, lost......?)
This was an altogether unbelievable sight.
An implausibility that simply couldn't occur.
Originally, even if there was a minuscule chance the team could lose, the possibility that Masaki would fall was practically zero.
"Kichijouji, watch out!"
Kichijouji snapped out of it upon hearing his teammate calling out to him from their original position and activated "Lightning Rod" magic on reflex.
The grass became the focal point of the lightning attack and grounded out the electrical force.
Kichijouji finally realized that his opponent, who should have been crushed into the ground by Weight-Type Magic, was panting as the long robe whipped about him and glaring at him.
When the roar reached his ears, Mikihiko had no idea what had just happened.
He didn't have the leisure to personally witness his surroundings.
Still, when the pressure forcing him into the ground suddenly vanished, he quickly rolled to a safe distance and got to his feet and spontaneously adopted evasive maneuvers.
Then, he finally took a good look around him.
Leo had been knocked unconscious.
Tatsuya was on both knees. Even though he hadn't fallen, he didn't look like he could continue.
And next to him, Ichijou Masaki stretched out his full length on the ground.
(You did it, Tatsuya!)
Mikihiko once thought that Tatsuya could find a way through anything; yet on the other hand, he also felt: "Even Tatsuya is......" Fired up by the achievement before his eyes, Mikihiko leaped up with renewed vigor.
Not that Mikihiko's condition was any better.
Maybe, he was the worst off of the three.
A sharp, stabbing pain accompanied each laborious breath.
Even if the ribs weren't broken, he probably couldn't avoid minor fractures.
Due to the exorbitant amount of time under stress, he was a little light-headed right now.
His back was still in pain from being violently thrown to the ground. Mikihiko cursed the hardness of the earth despite the grass in the privacy of his mind.
However — he was not about to surrender.
In the worst case scenario, he still had to go one on two.
No, fear had no place in his heart, this was the savage truth of reality. Even so — defeat was not an option.
Tatsuya conquered the "Crimson Prince".
At the very least, he was going to show him that he could take down "Cardinal George" — it was this "obstinacy" that drove Mikihiko to stand on shaky legs.
He manipulated his CAD to release a lightning attack. At the same time, he channeled magic into the gray robe he wore — psions that had been digitized.
His image was consumed by the spirits of "shadow" hidden in his robe.
Shadows are not synonymous with darkness.
The outline of an object could be traced by its shadow.
As independent information bodies of "shadow," the spirits of shadow could disrupt the light and darkness that made up the silhouette in order to hamper an opponent's ability to identify and aim at the target.
The spell originally belonged to the Yoshida Family and him by extension, but Tatsuya was the one who provided the robe as supplement, rewrote the software of the CAD to its current peak condition, and suggested that he use this spell to distort his image.
It was all thanks to Tatsuya that he could come close to matching his previous self — though Erika believed that he had surpassed his past — in terms of magic.
For someone with his family background and history to be forced into such degrading tasks was the ultimate humiliation, and Tatsuya was the one who gave him the opportunity to prove his mettle on the battlefield.
Along the way to the finals, Tatsuya was also the integral cog that made their advancement possible.
At this rate, at the end of all things, all the laurels would fall on Tatsuya.
Upon realizing this, Mikihiko bit his lip and funneled new life into his wavering legs.
—I will not rely on Tatsuya for everything!
—My pride forbids me from doing so!
—No matter what it takes, I will have my vengeance!
—Kichijouji Shinkurou, how you have dragged me into the mud!
—Come, allow me to return the favor!
These were the proud, grandiose, and arrogant words that Mikihiko spoke to himself.
Tatsuya said it already.
He already told me.
It is not you, Mikihiko, who is lacking. It is the spell itself.
Then—
(Tatsuya, allow me to prove the truth of your words!)
He ignored the magic that shot around his body.
Shadow magic had displaced an illusion of himself several steps away for the enemy to shoot at.
Putting faith in his own abilities, Mikihiko typed a long string of commands into the large smart phone-shaped CAD hidden in the inside of his robe.
Next, he took his right hand off the CAD and slapped the earth next to his feet.
Most Generalized CADs use two numbers and a confirmation key for a total of three keys to begin an Activation Sequence.
Higher quality models, especially the high tech smartphone ones, had features that included auto complete and selection of high efficiency magics, so one key stroke was all that was necessary to activate magic.
Yet today, Mikihiko hit over 15 keystrokes.
That was 5 times as many moves as the usual Generalized CAD needs for magic invocation.
Nevertheless, Mikihiko used a fraction of the normal time to complete the steps for Ancient Magic.
Since the number of key strokes for each Activation Sequence was the same, Mikihiko had no need to hit any extra keys. He wasn't planning on combining five magics into one Magic Sequence, he was setting for the continuous activation of five magics.
This was a technique that unfolded in increments.
It wasn't a simple Magic Sequence that had five magics crammed inside. Inside the code for each magic, there lay instructions to begin constructing the next Magic Sequence.
Each magic would verify the surrounding conditions and pass that onto the next spell, which was a mandatory and critical step for all Magicians who wielded Spirit Magic.
This continuous chain of movements didn't require individual verification, but would process everything in a single, uninterrupted string.
That was the answer that Tatsuya gave Mikihiko.
The earth groaned beneath his hands.
Kichijouji was aware that the groaning was not caused by the Ancient Magic user striking the earth with his hands, but because he had activated Oscillation-Type Magic in the ground.
In spite of this, the "Magister"-like appearance and movements as well as their accompanying effect was sufficient to allow Kichijouji to mistakenly perceive that "the earth shook when the palm struck the ground".
Cracks formed in the earth beneath Mikihiko's hands and rushed towards the location where Kichijouji had lost his balance.
The ground was not physically tearing apart, but was being separated by the force exerted within. Theoretically, this was a concept he understood.
But for un
known reasons, his mental calculations seemed to have lost touch with reality.
Kichijouji used a combination of Weight-Type and Move-Type Magic and sought to escape through the air.
However, his feet were unable to leave the earth.
Grass was firmly wrapped around his ankles.
—He didn't know of any magic that could command the plants like animals.
His heart wavered at the idea of being attacked by unknown magic.
This was done by simply commanding the air currents that brushed over the earth's surface to create the image that the grass had wrapped around the target. Yet, Magicians who were only familiar with Systematic Magics would never believe that this was simply a "coincidental" — instead of actually changing the direction of the currents, all that was necessary was the perception of being "entangled" — brush of air.
The cracks in the earth arrived beneath his feet.
Kichijouji could almost feel the grass pulling him into the earth.
These were all illusions.
In order to escape from these illusions, Kichijouji gathered every ounce of Magic Power at his command into a leaping spell.
—And completely ignored the possibility that all this was unnecessary.
He had no need to tear through the cumbersome grass to jump to such a height.
Kichijouji was overcome with relief at escaping the mossy hell that had risen to his chin by springing into the sky. In this particular moment, his consciousness had completely overlooked Mikihiko's presence. The opponent whom he was locked in battle with currently did not exist within his attention.
This was the decisive opening.
Mikihiko had continuously activated 5 magics.
"Earthshaker", "Earth Splitter", "Wild Hair", "Ant Hell".
Those were the first four spells that Mikihiko used.
And for his last attack, "Thunder Child", this one was going to swat Kichijouji from the heavens as it came hurtling down from above.
"You bastard!"
Using his hands to hold him up, Mikihiko confirmed the kill shot. At this time, magic launched by the last member from Third High came flying towards him.
Dirt and dust piled atop one another as they came rolling forward, also known as Move-Type Magic "Land Tsunami".