8-11 / Accommodation for the Nine Schools Competition
To celebrate Miyuki Shiba's triumph in Mirage Bat...
...and First High School's overall victory...
Cheers!
The NSC will be over tomorrow, huh?
I think Team Jumonji is a lock for the win tomorrow in Monolith Code.
Um... where's Tatsuya?
He's already gone to bed.
He said he was tired out.
No wonder, right?
He was injured, too, after all.
Can't blame him.
I see.
Of course he is.
He's been coming up big for us all this time.
Just the map data will do, right?
If you know who the members are, could I have that data as well?
Not enough?
No,
that's sufficient.
Thank you very much.
This is just insurance, right?
Yes, it's insurance.
Who was that?
An operator from Public Safety.
Although she insists that she's really a counselor.
So a part-time operator, right?
In terms of talent, I don't think there's an issue.
Since a novice semi-professional is more likely to go by the book for top-secret missions than a jaded veteran,
it feels safer to ask them to do side-jobs.
Well, unethical though it may be,
you know how they say that money talks.
Maybe I should start charging you, too.
What brings you here today?
What can I say?
I have an interest in him.
Who do you mean?
Tatsuya Shiba.
The one you plucked from the Yotsubas three years ago...
Miya's son.
Surely it's no shocker that I know about him.
Even if only temporarily, Miya and Maya were both students of mine.
In that case, you should be well aware.
That the Yotsubas haven't relinquished their claim to Tatsuya.
Don't you find it a waste?
What do you mean, a waste?
Along with the scion of the Ichijo clan,
he could become a leading asset in our country's magical forces.
Don't you consider it a waste to consign such an elite talent as that to private bodyguard duties?
Your Excellency, do you wish to weaken the Yotsubas?
At this rate, the Yotsubas will become too powerful.
They might even surpass the Ten Master Clans altogether.
In terms of combat power,
yes, the Yotsubas are head and shoulders above the other Master Clans.
And that won't do.
The Yotsubas have used their magicians as weapons including themselves.
It's true that magicians were initially developed as weapons...
But as such, they'll eventually be ejected from the world of mankind.
Your Excellency.
Just as you are aware of our situation,
I, too, have some knowledge of the situation on your side.
In fact, I even believe that I know the reason why you're so concerned about Tatsuya.
It's not a matter of "someday."
Already, Tatsuya is one of our forces' invaluable assets.
This may sound like nepotism on my part,
but as a military asset, Tatsuya far outclasses Masaki Ichijo.
In terms of point defense, Masaki Ichijo can become, on his own,
an asset with the power of an armored regiment.
However, Tatsuya, on his own, is an asset on the level of a strategic missile.
His magic spells are strategic weapons that should be, and are, restricted by several layers of safety locks.
It would be beyond cruel to ask him to take on the responsibility of controlling all that on his own.
Who knew that Japan's Special Forces would show up?
But right now our top priority should be to get rid of that brat.
Tatsuya Shiba, was it?
Just who is this kid?
The thing is... We have no clue about his background.
No info on his family members or any dependents that he might have.
As for his personal data, we got zero hits...
Who the hell is this guy?
Hello, No-Head Dragon,
and members of the East Japan Branch.
Who are you?
Thank you for that day at Fuji.
I've come to return the favor.
Where is he?
No. 14, where's that coming from?
No. 14, No. 16, kill him!
Impossible, sir.
Can't reach him.
Don't talk back! Kill him!
You really think I'd let them?
Instead of ordering your tools around,
why don't you try doing it yourself?
It's futile.
Right now, I'm the only one you can communicate with from that room.
That's ridiculous! How the hell did you...?
I've converged the radio waves.
How I accomplished that is no concern of yours.
Now then, let's get started.
W-Wait! Hold on a second.
What am I supposed to hold on for?
W-We have no intention of interfering with the NSC any further!
NSC will end tomorrow.
Not only the NSC,
but the No-Head Dragons will withdraw from Japan!
And you have the authority to promise me such a thing?
Douglas Huang?
I'm the boss's adviser!
He can't ignore what I have to say!
If you really have that much influence, then surely you've seen the boss's face, right?
I've been granted an audience with him, yes.
What's your boss's name?
James!
Ah, so you're James Zhu, eh?
Would you like to be next?
Douglas Huang?
Hold on a second.
The boss's name is Richard Sun.
And his public identity?
Sun Gongming.
Thank you for your cooperation.
You believe me, then?
Yes, without a doubt, you're an adviser of Richard Sun, the No-Head Dragon boss.
But why?
We didn't go so far as to take lives!
We didn't kill anyone, remember?
How many people you killed,
or how many you let live,
it doesn't matter to me.
You people incurred my wrath...
That's reason enough
for you to meet your demise.
You demon.
I was finally able to unleash this demonic power
because you drew out my one remaining emotion.
Douglas Huang.
Built as a weapon, the one emotion Tatsuya has left...
His feelings for his younger sister, huh?
Demonic power?
This spell...
don't tell me it's that spell from three years ago in Okinawa?
Demon Light?
Nine Schools Competition Part XI
8-12 Main Event Monolith Code Semifinals
Good work last night.
No, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you for troubling you over a personal matter.
Forgive me.
It wasn't a personal matter.
I got attacked, too.
And last night, we were able to obtain crucial combat data.
It's not often that we can get our hands on long-range sniping magic
that was successful at such a distance.
Both Internal Affairs and Public Safety were happier than expected with last night's souvenir.
Since you did fulfill your mission, there's no need to worry
just because it was somewhat personal in nature.
It was merely intel on a crime syndicate leader.
Did it really have that much value?
The No-Head Dragons are Sorcery Booster suppliers.
Sorcery Boosters...
Those would be the magic-amplifying devices
that have been spreading among criminal organizations the past few years?
They're not anything that should be allowed to exist in this world.
Do you have any idea what a Booster's core component is made of?
No.
A human brain, that's what.
To be precise, a magician's cerebrum.
Although we're an experimental unit that wields magic as weapons,
and whose objective is to embed magicians into the military system,
we have no intention of using magicians as literal components.
That's why as far as Sorcery Boosters go,
neither their manufacture nor use can ever be condoned.
Emotional aspects aside,
a booster that would expand a magician's capacity would be a military threat as well.
The North American Intelligence Agency is of the same view,
and I hear they were seeking Internal Affair's cooperation.
Mibu was extremely grateful, Tatsuya.
No, I'm happy to have been of use.
That's all we have to discuss.
Sorry to keep you here.
You should at least watch the final from the stands.
I've received word from the clan meeting.
Oh?
You know how Ichijo was defeated by Tatsuya the day before yesterday?
And?
As magicians, the Ten Master Clans reign at the top in this country.
Even if it's just high school students playing a game,
they can't allow any result undermining the power of the Ten Master Clans...
that's what they're saying.
In other words,
they're seeking a contest that would flaunt the Ten Master Clans' power, is that right?
Seriously, this is so absurd.
Even if it were just a branch,
if only Tatsuya had the blood of the Ten Master Clans in his veins,
he wouldn't be subjected to this third-rate farce...
Leave it to me.
So that's the Jumonji clan's "Phalanx..."
He certainly was incredible, Jumonji...
Yes.
But that last attack...
I don't think that's how he'd normally use Phalanx.
The genuine Phalanx should be a more terrifying spell...
That's the feeling I got.
This concludes this year's National Magic High School Goodwill Magic Game Convention...
That long ceremony finally came to an end, but it's not over yet, huh?
It's been two days, Masaki Ichijo.
Tatsuya Shiba, huh?
How's your hearing?
Not to worry, and you have no business worrying about me, anyway.
I guess that's true.
Shiba?
Are you brother and sister?
You never realized that till now, then?
So Brother and I didn't look like siblings to you, Mr. Ichijo.
Huh? No... Uh...
Yes.
You'll just be in the way if you plant yourself there forever.
Miyuki, why don't you go dance with Ichijo?
Um...
Tatsuya?
What is it, Honoka?
Um... Well...
Sir.
At times like these, the man must take the lead.
Sir?
There's no need to ponder so hard.
Honoka?
Yes?
Shall we dance?
With pleasure!
Chairman?
Shiba, come with me a second.
Shiba,
you're a member of the Ten Master Clans, right?
No.
I'm not from the Ten Master Clans.
Is that right?
Then as per the clan meeting,
I'm going to advise you as the magician who's serving as assistant head of the Jumonji family.
Shiba, you should join the Ten Master Clans.
Let's see...
For example,
how about Saegusa?
How about...?
By any chance, are you suggesting her as my bride?
That's right.
Unlike you and the chairwoman, I am a mere high school student,
and as such, talk of marriage and engagement are still far from my mind.
Is that right?
However, the fact that you defeated Masaki Ichijo,
the next leader of the Ten Master Clans, carries far more weight than you think.
You can't languish about too long, you know.
Brother?
What did Jumonji want with you?
Uh, it was just...
They've started playing the last song.
Is that right?
Brother, will you dance the last dance with me?
All right, then should we go back to the hall?
No, I don't want to waste this time that we have together...
Yokohama Disturbance Part I
NEXT TIME