Chapter 4

“I want to look at Miyuki-senpai’s face...”

“What are you talking about? You just left the Student Council room earlier this evening, didn’t you?”

“But Kasumi-chan, if I’m not doing anything, don’t you think going to have tea with Miyuki-senpai is much more constructive?”

The apartment where Tatsuya and Miyuki and the hospital were Minami is being treated are separated by the distance of, let’s say a neighborhood. It is a bit too far to go on foot, but by car it is only 5 minutes. Ever since hearing this from Minami during her visit, Izumi has been repeatedly spilling such complaints.

“I’m not going. That guy is in President’s house.”

Also, it is already a pattern that Kasumi replies this way.

These two are in a small restaurant near the Chofu-Aoba clinic where Minami is hospitalized. The Saegusa Family has reserved this shop since the role assignment at the Master Clans Conference a few days ago. It was ideal to make it into a base, as this shop’s business model is that only customers with prior reservation can enter.

The job given to the Saegusa Family at the Master Clans Meeting was to ambush and capture Kudou Minoru who has converted into a parasite. If capture is difficult, execution is unavoidable.

The Ten Master Clans decided that bringing parasites into human society was a crime for which death is inevitable. Both Kasumi and Izumi don’t want to kill Minoru if possible, but they understand that if he is left like that, stealing his life is unavoidable. Tatsuya considered these two to not be suited for the Ten Master Clans, but there is no doubt that this mentality they have is a result of the Ten Master Clans training.

“Anyway, will he really come?”

Their minds were not lingering on how to end it without killing Minoru. Both Izumi and Kasumi already told themselves that there is absolutely nothing they can do about it.

“I think he will come.”

“Is that so...Isn’t that idiotic even for Minoru?”

“I think his head is better than yours though, Kasumi-chan.”

“Sure, Minoru is smarter than me, but your grades aren’t much different from mine, Izumi!”

“That means I don’t have to help you with general studies homework anymore, right?”

“Ha-hang on! That’s unfair! We’re not talking about that right now!”

“Even if you say it is unfair...”

“What I’m saying is that Minoru is on the lookout for an ambush!”

Izumi’s sentence reached its conclusion when Kasumi hurriedly covered it with her own words.

Izumi unintentionally smiled and stopped playing with her twin sister.

“So you are expecting that much? Maybe if we’re seen through, he may hold back.”

Kasumi responded with a ‘is that so?’ while she patted her chest when Izumi finished her inconvenient speech.

“But even so I think Minoru-kun will come.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because he’s been prone to illness since childhood. Minoru-kun was a boy that didn’t get attached to things.”

“...I see. I remember him impatiently saying several times that he wanted to be more selfish.”

Kasumi and Izumi didn’t meet with Minoru often. Their personality was such that, from other children’s perspective, they didn’t get attached to things.

Even so, from their perspective, Minoru was a child that didn’t want anything.

“That Minoru-kun desired Sakurai-san to the point he threw away being human. Intense feelings to that extent...Unfortunately, I can’t understand, but I can only imagine that he will never give up.”

“So even you don’t understand, Izumi...”

“Yeah. As a maiden, it is truly regrettable.”

“Maiden, huh...Well, I guess Izumi is a maiden. But such feelings, being a man or a woman has nothing to do with it. Still, aside from feelings, isn’t the real problem that Sakurai-san is being protected by the Yotsuba, Juumonji and Saegusa Families? Will he plunge into the middle of the enemy alone? Or is love blind?”

“Kasumi-chan, that isn’t what ‘love is blind’ means?”

“Huh, really? Doesn’t it mean that love makes reason and common sense disappear?”

“Although that’s what’s written in Japanese dictionaries, reason disappearing means that you become unable to realize your partner’s faults, and common sense disappearing means that when picking sides, you don’t consider yours and your partner’s family’s social status and point of view.”

“Oh, so that is what it means.”

“Besides, I think Minoru-kun will come regardless of an ambush, but I’m guessing it isn’t because he lost his ability to judge with composure.”

“Well then, what is it?”

“Minoru-kun is most likely...”

Izumi lowered her voice. Not just her voice, her facial expression is saying ‘I can’t say it out loud’.

“...not afraid of the Yotsuba, Juumonji, and our own Saegusa Families. That’s what I think.”

“...I don’t think Minoru is the overconfident type.”

Lured by Izumi, Kasumi also whispered.

“If Minoru-kun has the ability, the self-confidence is not excessive.”

“That’s...Maybe he can bypass if it’s the Saegusa Family, but...”

“The current Minoru-kun can get the parasite’s power. Also, not questioning if it’s true or false, he took in the ghost of an Ancient Magician from the continent.”

“...Is the ghost even real?”

“...Anyway.”

Regarding the matter of the absorption of Zhou Gongjin’s ghost, Izumi didn’t truly believe it. Despite Kasumi’s protest, she didn’t delve into this discussion.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Minoru-kun is getting stronger.”

At the same time, she couldn’t withdraw the need for vigilance towards Minoru.

In the end, Kasumi didn’t know whether she agreed or not with Izumi’s opinion.

“Kasumi-chan, Izumi-chan, he’s here!”

As Mayumi came to call the two of them, their argument came to an end.

“How is Sakurai-san!?”

Mayumi showed her figure from the door that leads up to the interior of the kitchen and Kasumi stood up vigorously and immediately asked about Minami’s welfare. Kasumi, who is a classmate of Minami, seems to have deep feelings of affection towards Minami, in contrast with Izumi who works with her at the Student Council. – Perhaps Kasumi may be just easier to understand.

“She’s safe. We caught him before he sneaked into the hospital.”

“Was it the Juumonji Family?”

Izumi asked so. If she didn’t ask, Kasumi would have asked.

“No, subordinates of the Saegusa Family.”

Kasumi’s eyes shined and her expression reflected a ‘we did it!’. But her eyebrows instantly became gloomy. “They all got knocked out without lasting a minute. The people from the Juumonji Family were running there now, and are holding him back. I also contacted Otou-sama, but he’ll take 10 minutes or more to arrive. Juumonji-kun has also been notified, but we can’t hope for him to arrive in less than 5 minutes.”

“So until then, we have to keep him there, right?”

“Exactly right.”

Kasumi and Izumi were not just leisurely listening to Mayumi talk. While the two of them were leaning their ears and moving their mouth they were putting the CADs on their wrists, protective goggles with an internal communication device and a protection vest – a vest that has not only the function of softening shocks, but is also bulletproof and blade proof – on their body.

“Preparations complete.”

“Me too.”

“OK. Let’s go.”

Mayumi, who wore an identical outfit, opened the door, Kasumi and Izumi followed right away.

When Mayumi arrived at the scene, the battle had temporarily stopped.

Four magicians were collapsed on the road. Kasumi and Izumi rushed over to check their pulse and breathing.

“He’s alive!”

“Same here, doesn’t seem like there are any major injuries.”

Mayumi spoke to the two magicians who were breathing shallowly.

“Where did Minoru go?”

Mayumi raised the goggles to her forehead and showed her face to ask two magicians who were standing on their own feet.

“He went towards the alley on my right. We’re telling those who are protecting to intercept him.”

There is no door leading to the inside of the hospital on the right side. Is he planning to break a window, or is he thinking of sneaking in from the rooftop? Either way, Mayumi thought Minoru wouldn’t run away.

“Understood. I’ll chase him. You guys, please go back to your posts.”

The two who answered Mayumi’s question were magicians from the Juumonji Family. Everyone who was collapsed on the road was a subordinate of the Saegusa Family.

“We’ll be counting on you.”

The two from the Juumonji Family bowed to Mayumi and returned to the front of the hospital’s rear entrance. The task they were given is to prevent the invasion of the hospital. They ran here to assist the Saegusa Family magicians, but they were a long way off the entrance, which was their real role.

“You two, with them, please.”

“Onee-chan, you’re going alone!?”

“It’s dangerous!”                                           

Kasumi and Izumi tried to stop their sister, but Mayumi shook her head with a serious look on her face, with no hint of a smile.

“We can’t leave these injured people alone. Even without serious injuries, my consciousness doesn’t allow it. Besides, Minoru-kun may not go towards the back door.”

It’s a common technique to attempt re-invasion from places where vigilance has been lowered after pretending to go towards a different place. Neither of them could deny the possibility their sister pointed out.

“...Understood, Onee-chan.”

“Onee-chan, be careful.”

“Yeah, you two as well.”

Mayumi put the goggles on and went towards the right side of the hospital.

Signs of magic suddenly increased. Mayumi chased them, rushing from the alley along the hospital to the road on the other side.

Lightning flashed in the air.

About 5 meters above the ground. The scenery of a night sky covered in thick clouds was empty – nobody was emitting the lightning attacks within the darkness.

The targets were two male magicians. Subordinate practitioners from the Juumonji Family, who they were introduced to by Katsuto before the start of the operation.

One of them was bleeding from one leg, crouching to hold his wound.

The unhurt magician had his back to his partner, catching lightning strikes with a magical barrier.

If it was a normal Release-Type Magic, it would be over when stopped by a shield.

Setting the starting point of the attack away from the target with Modern Magic to prevent the enemy’s event interference power from disturbing the magic invocation. It is no more than that.

But this lightning attack is not a simple stream of electrons. Lightning travelled several meters diagonally, drawing a light snake with an afterimage in the air. Instead of colliding with the magical barrier and breaking it, it shifted its movement and went around to hit from the sides.

Giving shape to the phenomenon. In exchange of spending additional resources to include shape in symbolic organisms, this technique enhanced the operability of phenomena created by magic. This is an Ancient Magic technique that isn’t in Modern Magic.  This situation, is it for sustained use of lightning strikes that diffuse in an instant?

It certainly is an advanced technique, but isn’t it more effective to create lightning strikes repeatedly? Mayumi thought so seeing the lightning snakes moving above the shield, but immediately noticed her own misunderstanding.

The magical barriers built by the Juumonji Family magicians took a hemispherical dome shape. Even by circulating sideways you can’t pass through the shield. But the lightning snake that seemed useless added a tail and made a circle around the shield, binding the shield’s operator.

Witnessing this, Mayumi finally understood the purpose of this magic. This is a confinement magic.

The lightning snake doesn’t just have the effect of electric shocks, it also adds pressure to the shield, not to mention that it constricts the inside of the magicians’ barrier. And in the moment the shield is dissolved, a lightning strike will attack the people barricaded inside it.

The lightning snake seems to be wrapping itself around the shield, but it’s actually fixed in contact position with the magical barrier. If one were to move while holding the shield, it would be a strength contest with the magic that is affixing the lightning snake.

Thunderbolts were emitted from the sky once again. Not just one. Three attacks, one after the other.

The lightning strikes became lightning snakes and surrounded the shield of the two Juumonji magicians.

Three circles were tying the hemispherical dome magical barrier. Though the first lightning snake disappeared, the second stage of the lightning strikes surrounded the shield and crossed each other at six points.

Mayumi released a Psion Bullet, shooting at the lightning emission point.

Mayumi’s Psion Bullet doesn’t have power similar to the Gram Demolition Tatsuya uses.

But the technique to shoot accurately at a target point is not inferior to other people. She isn’t called ‘one of the best long-ranged precision shooting magic users in the world’ just for appearances.

The Psion Bullet Mayumi released accurately hit the magic’s battery [16]  that was installed in the sky. A Psion Information Body that remotely invokes the magic continuously. Mayumi’s Psion Bullet destroyed the information structure that acted as a battery.

Mayumi has ordinary magic – the Modern Magic’s 4 Systems and 8 Types, except a Non-Systematic Magic that shoots a Psion Bullet and an inborn special ability in the Sensory System. Remote Visual System Sensory Magic ‘Multi-Scope’. Though it is possible to use it as magic, Mayumi can use it freely as an inborn special ability – once referred to as ‘Supernatural Power’.

This was unprecedented. Magic and Supernatural Powers are essentially the same ability, but one person should not be able to have both Supernatural Powers and Magic. Supernatural Powers distort phenomena with mere thoughts. In exchange, they can only modify phenomena with a specific pattern. Modern Magic, by adjusting the mental faculties used for Supernatural Powers, realized diverse phenomena modification. In exchange for that, various auxiliary measures other than thought are needed for magic execution.

From the point of view that it can only deal with specific patterns, Tatsuya’s ‘Decomposition’ and ‘Regrowth’ are close to Supernatural Powers. Tatsuya also has traits of Supernatural Power users, as he also can’t support other phenomena modification patterns. As seen from this precedent, Supernatural Powers and their specialized modification of phenomena, and magic that can deal with a variety of phenomenon modifications, cannot coexist.

But Mayumi can use both special perception abilities and diverse magic. She can be said to be an irregular magician in a different sense than Tatsuya.

Now, Mayumi was using her unusual ability, ‘Multi-Scope’, at full power. Using her full power ‘Multi-Scope’ to obtain visual information, seen from various angles, brings a big load to her mind. The consciousness starts dimming in just a few minutes, so it’s rare to use it at full power.

Mayumi looks for Minoru, who is surely hiding nearby, knowing that it is unreasonable.

Even if it is said that magic ignores physical distance, it can’t be used to reach far places beyond a person’s line of sight with the same amount of power and technique finesse as the lightning strikes just now. He should be hiding in the vicinity.

(Found him!)

Has Mayumi’s persistence bore fruit?

Or were her strong thoughts showing it?

His back was reflected in the field of vision of her odd ability, ‘Multi-Scope’.

Despite seen from the back, with his face not visible, he has a beautiful and mysterious figure that is not something from this world.

Mayumi shifted her point of view and confirmed that person’s face.

In the moment he was ‘seen’ from the front, he suddenly turned his face away, as if he sensed a glance.

But that moment was plenty.

Mayumi ran her fingers on the CAD on her wrist.

The invoked magic can be said to represent who she is, ‘Magic Bullet Shooter’.

Batteries was created in the sky, and from there, dry ice bullets were released.

Three batteries concentrated their shots on Minoru.

 ‘Magic Bullet Shooter’ has definitely caught Minoru, as could be seen from the remote field of vision.

The figure of the boy Mayumi is looking at disappeared from the ground.

Her ‘Multi-Scope’ didn’t lose sight of his beautiful figure.

He was in the air.

Mayumi made a new battery, and it poured dry ice bullets.

But the figure that dashed through the sky used complicated movements to dodge the majority of the bullets following him.

Minoru landed on the rooftop of the hospital.

Mayumi stopped spending resources on her ‘Multi-Scope’, leaving only a field of vision from the top, compiled jumping magic, and waited for her magic to capture Minoru.

Leaving behind the allies trapped with the lightning snakes, Mayumi jumped to the rooftop of the hospital.

“Is Onee-chan okay?”

“The opponent is Minoru, but even so I think Onee-sama is taking too long...”

Izumi replied to Kasumi’s question with an unconfident tone, but the anxiety could not be read from her expression. This probably means she wasn’t worried about her tone of voice.

Currently, the strongest magician of the Saegusa Family is probably Mayumi. Their father Kouichi never participates in his children’s ability competitions, so it can’t be said for sure, but Mayumi is proven to be the strongest among the siblings. Kasumi and Izumi can’t win against Mayumi even together. The girls are no match for her even if they use Multiplicative Cast, their trump card where they combine their ability.

These two were leisurely chatting because they had nothing to do but talking and being on the lookout. The first aid treatment on their (father’s) subordinates that Minoru took down was already finished. Nobody had any serious injuries that were accompanied by heavy bleeding from the start. There are no fractures that can be seen from the outside. There was one casualty who may have hit his head when he fell, but unfortunately brain damage is something these two can’t control. They cooled down the swollen spot and were waiting for the Saegusa Family’s rescue team to arrive, instead of an ambulance. They didn’t openly discuss it, but both of them had similar thoughts that if the rescue team didn’t come, they would carry them into the hospital right in front of them.

“All things considered, they aren’t coming.”

“They aren’t coming...”

The two of them didn’t have much patience left. Kasumi’s impatience can be seen in her outward appearance, but honestly speaking Izumi has a personality that makes her easily bored. Izumi may be better described as doing things at her own pace. Anyway, both of them match in impatience.

The two exchanged glances and each sensed the other had the same idea as them.

They signaled each other and turned their heads towards the hospital’s back door at the same time.

And then, the moment they tried to ask for help to carry the injured people, their mouths uttered words that were different than those they intended.

“Look out!”

But the warning backfired.

The two magicians guarding the back door turned their eyes towards Kasumi and Izumi.

The moment they lost their attention, magic fired from the darkness.

Violent sparks fell from the sky. ‘Spark’ is a magic that causes discharge phenomena by forcibly extracting electrons from substances. It’s a fundamental Release-Type Magic technique, but it requires high phenomenon interference power. Typical magicians have low density or fixed volume of molecules, so the best they can do is ionize a very limited scope of gas.

However, the ‘Spark’ emitted just now was entirely covering the two people with plasma. To be accurate, the area covered was from the chest down, the head wasn’t directly hit. But they naturally lost control of their body and tumbled down from their knees while convulsing.

“Who is there!”

Kasumi released magic while shouting. An intense flash illuminated the darkness that stretched between street lights.

Kasumi asked who, but she was convinced the enemy was Minoru. If people other than Minoru emerged in the light, Kasumi would have lost the rest of her voice in surprise.

To the magic light took away his resistance with a glaring flash, Minoru didn’t put his hands over his eyes, he just narrowed them.

The strong light produced a dark shadow, highlighting the inhuman charm that adorned Minoru’s face.

“Minoru, give up!”

Kasumi released ‘Freeze Air Bullet’. Magic that compresses the air while cooling it, converting the heat into bullet speed.

This magic fires Dry Meteor, Mayumi’s trump card, but with ordinary air instead of carbon dioxide. It doesn’t freeze because the freezing point of the mixed gas, whose main component is nitrogen and oxygen, is lower than carbon dioxide, but bullets cooled while being compressed with high pressure manifest different effects than dry ice bullets.

At the same time that Kasumi used magic, Izumi laid out Zone Interference for defense.

The effect of the flash magic ran out and Minoru’s figure was submerged in darkness.

The ‘Freeze Air Bullet’ that Kasumi released collided against a magical barrier and got crushed. The air that was restrained by magic suddenly expanded, making a lump of cold air dozens of degrees below the freezing point, according to the laws of physics.

But the cold air didn’t enter the inside of the shield formed by Minoru. Haze was produced, dew was formed outside the shield, water droplets dropped down the transparent barrier. Minoru’s magical barrier had the ‘hardness’ of a solid object.

Magic attacks were sent out by Minoru at the same time as Kasumi’s ‘Freeze Air Bullet’ crumbled.

In the region Izumi where spread out Zone Interference, the influence of phenomenon interference appeared. Zone Interference is not magic that uses the output of a Magic Sequence. It’s a defense technique that continuously uses the caster’s personal phenomenon interference power. If magic is released from an enemy, that will be transmitted to the caster as a reaction.

Izumi mustered her strength to invalidate Minoru’s magic. But that resistance was not enough and it broke though.

Discharges were generated in the sky. Is it smaller than the ‘Spark’ that the Juumonji Family magicians received because Izumi’s Zone Interference lowered the intensity of the phenomenon modification?

But with the enemy magic successfully invoked, that is not a big consolation. Plasma scattered in sparks, hitting Kasumi and Izumi.

The gust of wind that scattered that plasma was due to Kasumi’s quick-witted defense of diverting the second attack towards Minoru.

“Izumi, are you okay!?”

Kasumi rushed up to Izumi, who was injured by the Zone Interference strength contest, and held her in her arms.

Izumi gripped Kasumi’s hand that was holding her shoulder.

“Kasumi-chan, we can’t do this one at a time.”

“I understand, Izumi.”

Kasumi did not misunderstand what Izumi’s words meant.

The current situation is a two-on-one. They are not fighting alone in a sequential order. Even in this state Kasumi and Izumi are cooperating.

What Izumi is saying is that this is not a simple numerical strength problem. Both of them can’t fight as two people, they can’t win against Minoru unless they unify their power. Izumi said so. And Kasumi nodded.

The two mutually interlocked their fingers. Kasumi’s right hand and Izumi’s left hand perfectly united by the palm.

The twin sisters faced one another and mutually attracted each other, connecting the other hands.

From Kasumi’s left hand to Izumi’s right hand, Psions flowed.

From Izumi’s left hand to Kasumi’s right hand, Psions flowed.

Connected hand and hand, the pair’s Psions circulated through their bodies.

Suddenly, Minoru released magic. The power of phenomenon modification is working just above the twins that face each other.

But Minoru’s magic finished before it could start. Zone Interference with a strength incomparable to before protected the sister’s bodies.

“Let’s go.”

Izumi whispered.

“Leave it to me!”

Kasumi responded to that.

An Activation Sequence was output from Izumi’s thought-operated CAD worn around her left wrist.

There are no agreements on who is the chief and subordinate of the pair’s Multiplicative Cast. There are surely numerous roles where Kasumi constructs the Magic Sequence and Izumi grants the phenomenon interference power. But in the opposite case, where Izumi constructs the Magic Sequence and Kasumi grants the phenomenon interference power, Multiplicative Cast works the exact same way.

Light was created within the darkness. It doesn’t have the strength to dazzle the eyes, it is a light just to fulfill its role as illumination, shining on Minoru’s body.

Under the light of magic, Minoru’s face expressed utter confusion. He probably didn’t understand the meaning of using such magic power that holds no offensive power.

Of course up until now it has been no more than the preparation stage. A procedure to make aiming the magic easier.

?

The next magic will be invoked. Though Minoru was not absent-minded, his confusion dulled his decision making, so Izumi acted faster this time.

Gusts of wind coiled above Minoru’s head. A large amount of air was compressed in an instant while preserving room temperature.

Izumi unleashed it directly downwards instead of striking Minoru with that cluster of air.

The descending air swiftly cooled due to adiabatic processes and attacked Minoru.

‘Cold Storm’. Izumi admires Miyuki, and this new magic came from the desire to make use of cooling magic similar to Miyuki’s.

“S-So cold!”

Blowing in the icy fog wind, Kasumi screamed.

“Sorry!”

Izumi’s voice was a bit stiff when she apologized. Coldness and agitation are the causes. It seems ‘Cold Storm’ has only been learned recently, so it hasn’t been perfected to the extent that she can defend against the aftermath.

“It’s fine. Anyway, did we do it?”

Needless to say about Kasumi, but Izumi too is staring at Minoru’s figure covered in frost.

Minoru was standing still while sparkling white magical lights.

There is no movement.

There is also no collapse.

If Minoru lost the strength on his limbs, it’s weird that is he not falling. Even if the whole body is rigid, standing still like this is usually impossible.

“Kasumi-chan, one more time!”

Izumi’s shout was synchronous with a change in Minoru.

The frost on Minoru’s hair, face and clothes disappeared in an instant.

After that frost was gone, he wasn’t even one bit wet.

Minoru extended his right arm towards Izumi and Kasumi.

“Go!”

Kasumi responded to Izumi with a hurried voice. However instead of repeating what they just did, Kasumi took the initiative this time.

Strong winds composed of 90% nitrogen blew towards Minoru.

‘Nitrogen Storm’. Magic that causes oxygen deficiency with an air current whose oxygen concentration was extremely lowered.

However, the ‘Nitrogen Storm’ the twins released was blocked by Minoru’s shield and its effect was invalidated by the downward air current that kept coming from the skies.

“——”

Izumi saw Minoru’s lips move. Kasumi didn’t notice, and Izumi couldn’t catch what he said due to the raging winds.

But Izumi somehow believed Minoru had said ‘it’s my turn now’.

Izumi instantly felt the signs of magic activation. At the same time, a gentle breeze blew.

Izumi spread out a physical shield in panic.

But the breeze stopped at the surface of the shield, and began to blow again inside the shield. The wind didn’t pass through the magical barrier. The magic passed through the barrier.

Naturally, that was not insignificant. When Izumi and Kasumi first felt the wind, it was already too late.

Kasumi suddenly collapsed.

Panicking, Izumi stopped hugging Kasumi and resumed her breathing.

Immediately after that, Izumi’s conscious was swallowed by darkness.

Kasumi’s and Izumi’s bodies were caught by an invisible hand before they crashed on the road. They were laid down softly on the road.

It was Minoru’s magics that caught the two and took away their consciousness. The former stopped them with Movement-Type Magic and reduced gravity with Weight-Type Magic. The latter decreased oxygen concentration with Convergence-Type Magic. In principle, it is similar magic to the ‘Nitrogen Storm’ the twins used. Instead of breaking through the two’s magical defenses with pure strength, he used a technique that led them to not recognize that the magic used by the enemy was the same kind of magic they used. This was a technique learned from Zhou Gongjin’s knowledge.

Minoru manipulated the airflow and blew air with raised oxygen concentration into their nostrils. Forcibly sending in oxygen into the lungs.

The two simultaneously restarted breathing and coughed violently.

Minoru used his next magic. The two lost their resistance to magic in this half-awake state, so he used Ancient Magic genjutsu [17]  to lead them to sleep. The two’s eyelids closed. Comfortable and breathing, proof that they are harmlessly sound asleep, different from just a few moments ago.

Minoru breathed out in relief. Injuring these two was never his intention. Even just turning towards offensive magic was too much for him.

Minoru understands why the Ten Master Clans are targeting him for capture or subjugation. But he didn’t plan to be hostile towards the Ten Master Clans.

He just wants to save Minami. To make sure of Minami’s intentions, and if she accepts his idea, he will turn her into a parasite. Afterwards, the two of them would live quietly and hidden. If Minami so wished, he would return her to the Yotsuba Family. He thought if it was the Yotsuba Family, they would protect their relatives regardless of what the rest of the Ten Master Clans says.

So even if he gets attacked, he planned to finish this as peacefully as he can. It was a difficult decision to attack Kasumi and Izumi, with risks of after-effects, as they have known each other from a young age. He wanted to make them powerless with the least pain possible, finish the first aid as quickly as possible, and Minoru didn’t plan to indulge in it.

While experiencing the persistent foul aftertaste, Minoru headed towards the back door of the hospital.

His goal is to kidnap Minami. He didn’t dare to sugar-coat it. Today he was ignoring her intentions, He came to take her away from the hospital. He believed this wasn’t the time for persuasion from the start. In Minoru’s calculations, with the amount of time that has passed it wouldn’t be strange if Tatsuya was already flying in.

Minoru extended his hand to the door of the rear entrance. But right afterwards he was forced to withdraw his hand, jumping back a great distance.

Dry ice bullets shot at his afterimage.

“Minoru-kun, surrender!”

Minoru looked overhead, towards where the voice came from.

“The genjutsu was exposed already, huh...”

Minoru reflexively muttered. From the hospital’s rooftop, Mayumi looked down on him.

 

Mayumi, who jumped up to the rooftop chasing after Minoru, stopped her feet there.

Minoru stopped at the opposite edge.

Blocked by thick clouds, neither moon nor stars could be seen. From this height, it can be seen that the clouds in the center of the city are faintly reflecting the light from the illumination on the ground. Minoru’s back barely stood out with the faint light.

Minoru had turned his back on Mayumi.

Even when she activated her Psions to attack, he did not turn around.

“Minoru-kun, give up already! It’ll be worse if you resist any longer! I will also properly listen to what you have to say!”

Even to Mayumi’s appeal, Minoru didn’t respond. Not to mention the lack of signs of attack, he also didn’t show any hint of defense.

Mayumi wavered. Even her would hesitate to attack an enemy that is showing no resistance.

But she can’t overlook this. Minoru converted into a parasite. She didn’t confirm it with her own eyes, but Tatsuya wouldn’t tell lies like this. Her junior was not the kind of person who tells such evil lies. And the existence of the parasite cannot be neglected.

“Minoru-kun, put your CAD under your feet and raise your hands!”

Mayumi presses herself to make a decision, calling out to Minoru to surrender.

For the first time in the rooftop, Minoru showed a reaction. He turned only his face towards Mayumi. His face, seen from the side, looked suspicious, evil, and because of that, the smile on his face looked unworldly beautiful.

No, rather than saying unworldly, it should be inhuman.

Mayumi didn’t doubt the story that Minoru became a parasite.

But at this time she was truly convinced that Minoru changed into something other than a human.

Mayumi composed the Activation Sequence for ‘Magic Bullet Shooter’, the magic she is best at.

There was no more hesitation in her.

Dry ice bullets were shot from twelve batteries, that were created in positions that surrounded Minoru.

Cold bullets penetrated shoulders, chest, abdomen, back, thighs. – No, they slipped through.

(An illusion? This is ‘Parade’!?)

‘Parade’, the magic of the Kudou Family that disturbs other people’s aim by creating illusions in the information dimension. When it was decided that in this operation they would pursue him, Mayumi’s father taught her about the existence of this magic.

As she heard beforehand, it feels completely indistinguishable from the real one. At the time Mayumi used ‘Magic Bullet Shooter’, she could see Minoru’s figure from six different directions. But she couldn’t feel anything wrong with the visual information obtained from any angle.

(If I can’t find the real body, then!)

Mayumi’s magic specialty is long-ranged precision shooting. If she can’t discern the target’s position, she can’t make use of her special skill.

But she is ‘one of the best long-ranged precision shooting magic users in the world’ and at the same time she is the eldest daughter and also, with due respect, the strongest magician in the Saegusa Family who carries the nickname ‘Versatile’. ‘Mark’ attacks aren’t the only cards on Mayumi’s hand.

(‘Parade’ is magic that diverts the enemy’s attack by putting illusions near them...)

Mayumi heard so about the features of ‘Parade’.                         

(Then Minoru-kun’s real body must be somewhere on the rooftop!)

Mayumi constructed a new Magic Sequence. ‘Dry Blizzard’, magic that rains down dry ice bullets.

An air cluster of carbon dioxide was formed three meters above the rooftop, and -80 degrees Celsius stones violently fell.

About two thirds of the rooftop was within its range. However there was no evidence showing that the attack had damaged Minoru.

But still, Mayumi was not disturbed. The Dry Blizzard barrage is just preparation for her favorite.

Mayumi formed a cage that imprisoned gas. Only gas was prevented from entering or exiting.

Inside it, dry ice was sublimated all at once.

The air cluster of minus dozens of degrees Celsius with very high carbon dioxide concentration covered half of the roof.

Mayumi shrank the cage while slowly ejecting any gas other than carbon dioxide, and at the same time she sharpened her senses towards its interior.

If Minoru is inside, he must use some kind of defensive magic. Even if you can falsify your real position, the signs of continued magic use should not be falsified. – So Mayumi thought.

But contrary to her expectations, no matter how much time passed, there was no indication of new magic in the rooftop.

Instead, Mayumi felt signs of a familiar powerful magic being produced above the ground.

The signs of the magic invoked near the back door of the hospital indicate that it’s her sisters’.

It was the Psion waves of Kasumi’s and Izumi’s Multiplicative Cast.

(—I was tricked!)

Mayumi finally became aware of the trick. Minoru’s goal has consistently been to invade the hospital from the rear entrance. Minoru’s illusion was a dummy to keep her away!

The illusion magic includes features such as perfect virtual image projection, remote battery magic and probably interference in magic detection. It is a Psion wave barrier that cannot be surpassed without the strong waves from Multiplicative Cast.

Mayumi left the gas isolation barrier as it was and ran on the rooftop to the side with the rear entrance.

(Kasumi-chan, Izumi-chan!)

She bit her eager screams to death. Kasumi and Izumi fell senseless.  The worst-case scenario appeared to become reality.

But right now, Minoru’s capture takes precedence. At the very least, her sisters can’t receive medical treatment if Minoru is not driven back.

Minoru aims to extend his hand to the door of the rear entrance.

Mayumi used the large quantity of carbon dioxide she maintained on the rooftop and formed/shot dry ice bullets.

Minoru pulled his hand back and jumped a big distance backwards. Mayumi’s attack went through Minoru’s afterimage.

“Minoru-kun, surrender!”

Mayumi appealed, and Minoru raised his face.

There was no reply from Minoru, nor did he show in his attitude that he would obey Mayumi’s words.

Without hesitation, Mayumi aimed and shot dry ice bullets at Minoru.

(Again!?)

Her bullets overlapped with Minoru’s body and hit the ground behind him. ‘Parade’ once again. Mayumi instantly concluded.

Mayumi compressed the cluster of carbon dioxide under her control without solidifying it. The ten meters squared gas was pushed into a sphere with a one-meter diameter.

She threw that sphere towards Minoru.

The one-meter diameter sphere crashed into the road’s surface, spreading out as a hemisphere with a five-meter radius.

It didn’t scatter anymore. Her sisters are left outside the range. Mayumi didn’t forget that.

The carbon dioxide density is slightly above a level that causes poisoning. If there isn’t much difference between human and parasite metabolisms, Minoru should avoid breathing that gas in.

Mayumi produced a gentle gas current inside the hemisphere. It isn’t even strong enough to call it a gentle breeze. The direction is also not fixed. It looked random, but the weak air current had a complex regularity.

That stream was interrupted at a certain spot. It’s at a height from 170cm to 180cm. Around 50cm wide. Its size was a little bigger than Minoru’s body.

Mayumi made ‘Magic Bullet Shooter’ batteries inside that hemispherical dome and concentrated fire on that spot.

Signs of the hidden Minoru are exposed.

The appearance of a young boy who was standing still emerged from the weak light of the street lamp.

The ‘Parade’ wore out.                                             

Mayumi increased the power of the shots and the density. Carbon dioxide to produce bullets was abundantly prepared. The fired bullets sublimate and return to gas, becoming material for bullets once again.

Suddenly, Minoru brought his hand up.

Mayumi thought it was a sign of surrender.

It couldn’t be said that there wasn’t an opportunity there.

However, at least the ‘Magic Bullet Shooter’ did not stop.

So it could be seen that Minoru’s counterattack happened regardless of the opportunity Mayumi gave him.

The Minoru’s illusion that lured Mayumi vanished when she released ‘Dry Blizzard’ on that spot.

There were no remnants of the illusion that disappeared in Mayumi’s consciousness.

Therefore she didn’t notice that a dark shadow was created where the virtual projection was.

Four long legs stretched from the shadow.

The head is formed after the neck, and a thin tail is connected on the other side. It resembles the silhouette of a tiger.

Fangs grew inside the wide-open mouth, and instead of a roar, thunder was released.

Mayumi turns around in panic.

The shadowy beast clad in thunderbolts was already before her eyes.

Mayumi was pushed down by the beast without doing anything.

The shadow stabbed Mayumi with its fangs.

Instead of blood gushing out from Mayumi’s body, her body was attacked by electric shocks that stole her consciousness.

Mayumi’s body shook and swayed and collapsed on the edge of the rooftop.

“Damn it!”

That scream was sent out from Minoru’s mouth.

“Mayumi-chan!”

Mayumi’s body falls.

Minoru constructed Gravity Control Magic to catch her.

But before that magic was released, Mayumi’s body was enveloped by a burly shadow of a person that came from the sky.

Mayumi falling from the roof was a complete miscalculation on Minoru’s part.

In confusion, he tried to release magic to help Mayumi.

But before that, she was rescued by a strong looking man.

Falling from the sky, he caught Mayumi in the air, controlled gravity and inertia and descended on the road without a sound. That person completely killed the momentum and landed silently. But Minoru’s ears were visited by auditory hallucinations that shook the ground with a thud.

“Juumonji-san...”

The burly person was Juumonji Family’s Juumonji Katsuto.

Katsuto held Mayumi in his arms, and turned his back to Minoru.

He gently laid her body down on the street.

?

Minoru did not attack Katsuto from behind. – No, he couldn’t.

Katsuto’s back swallowed his mind as if it were saying ‘wait a bit’.

Katsuto stood up and turned around.

Minoru stepped back, leaving behind the illusion of ‘Parade’ right away.

But the attempt at evasion was meaningless.

Transparent walls were created by Katsuto. Magic barriers given solidity and impenetrability, with length and width of over 1.8 meters, about two tatami mats [18] . It approaches Minoru at great speeds.

Minoru hurriedly jumped to the right.

It’s a barrier that doesn’t have any influence on anything but solid materials and physical power, but since it’s magic that gives the space the property of ‘transparent barrier that doesn’t let solid matter pass’, it is incompatible with the illusion that gives this same space a conflicting property definition. The ‘wall’ Katsuto used demolished Minoru’s ‘Parade’, and Minoru’s body appeared and quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Minoru dodged Katsuto’s attack by throwing himself down onto the road and immediately started to compile the next magic. ‘Ghost Walker’, the magic that disguises directions, recently learned from taking Zhou Gongjin’s knowledge in.

At the same time he ran to the left. If ‘Ghost Walker’ was successful, it should look to Katsuto as if he ran the opposite way.

But that escape was brought to a standstill in two steps. In his path, a physical barrier towered over him.

(‘Ghost Walker’ isn’t working?)

Minoru thought so for a moment, but he immediately realized his mistake.

Katsuto’s magic barrier was a cylinder built with a diameter of four meters and height of two meters.

A wall that surrounds him from all directions. This means the misrecognition of directions from ‘Ghost Walker’ is meaningless.

From just above, the walls draw closer. As if covering a cylindrical cage, a cylindrical ‘ceiling’ fell.

Minoru opposed the barrier magic that was crushing the encirclement by using the same physical shield.

He concentrated all of his energy into a 50cm diameter round shield against the cylindrical wall with a diameter of 4 meters.

Both Minoru’s and Katsuto’s barriers broke at the same time.

Without delay, Minoru invoked jumping magic and escaped from the inside of the ‘cage’.

When he landed, Minoru pressed against the road with one knee. The Juumonji Family carries the nickname ‘Iron Wall’, and its strongest magician attacked him with barrier magic. Katsuto spread his power widely, and it was possible for Minoru to barely offset it by concentrating his strength in a narrow range. This tug of war was heavily exhausting Minoru.

However, Minoru had no time to take a break or recover his strength.

Katsuto isn’t a generous person who would allow him to take a break.

Before he could be chased, Minoru released counterattacking magic.

‘Cloudless Thunder’.

Among the Release-Type Magic he excels at, this interpersonal magic is a technique that has a very high offensive ability. Given Minoru’s current exhaustion, it was by no means magic he can use lightly. But half-hearted attacks wouldn’t affect Katsuto.

A group of air molecules turned into plasma. From there, an electron shower rained down towards Katsuto.

But it didn’t reach Katsuto.

Even the group of positive ions that fell like snow shortly afterwards were stopped by the magical barrier.

This was within Minoru’s expectations.

It was not bravado, from the start Minoru didn’t think he could cause damage to Katsuto with ‘Cloudless Thunder’. The goal was to shift the momentum by cutting Katsuto’s attacks temporarily.

(How about this!)

Minoru took out a token – a card with a black luster from his pocket, and turned it towards Katsuto.

A four-legged beast whose body was only colored in black leapt out of the token and attacked Katsuto.

It was Zhou Gongjin’s offensive magic ‘Shadow Beast’, adapted from western Ancient Magic called ‘Hellhound’. If classified like Modern Magic, it could be said to be a kind of Outer-Systematic Magic that invents the truth of an attack, using as a foothold the optical illusion of sustaining an attack from fangs and nails.

(It’s Outer-Systematic Magic that changes fate from the astral side. Physical shields should not defend against it!)

The black chemical body draws closer to Katsuto.

However, the jet black ‘Shadow Beast’ crashed into the magical barrier without touching Katsuto’s body.

(...Does the barrier magic of the Juumonji Family, by limiting the targets to defend, have property preservation features to keep other spatial attributes as they should naturally be?)

Minoru was not shaken by the result, and calmly analyzed Katsuto’s magic from the phenomenon he just witnessed.

The Juumonji Family’s barrier magic ‘Phalanx’. What is troublesome for Minoru is not the defense itself, it’s that it combines Zone Interference properties.

Field magic that doesn’t allow phenomenon modification in a space except the caster’s closed-off barrier definition.

Neither illusions nor chemical bodies are projected into space. If it doesn’t exceed Katsuto’s Phalanx, it will be erased by the barrier. Minoru took Zhou Gongjin’s techniques and assimilating a parasite has increased his speed, but the power remains as it was before. Minoru still had phenomenon interference power superior to most magicians, but regrettably it was not enough to hit past Katsuto’s barrier with brute force.

Minoru scattered copies of himself and quickly turned and jumped to the shadows. It wasn’t ‘Parade’, but simple virtual images he created to preserve magic resources. And while Katsuto’s eyes were disoriented, he let out magic in quick succession.

 – ‘Spark’ ‘Cloudless Thunder’ ‘Plasma Bullet’ ‘Hot Wind Blade’

From the magic he is used to from every day usage,

– ‘Nitrogen Storm’ ‘Dry Blizzard’

He attacked with diverse techniques, going as far as using the Saegusa sisters’ specialty magic with the intent of striking a surprised Katsuto.

But all of that was stopped by Katsuto’s defense.

Then, making a small hole, he hurled offensive Phalanx barriers.

Instead of concentrating in one place dozens of times, he shot towards all of the scattered illusions.

Before long, one of them hit Minoru.

‘Offensive Phalanx’ is a magic that crushes a body, by destroying the opponent’s defenses with repeated strikes on their solid impenetrable barriers. If it’s only one barrier, it’s not much different than normal Weight-Type Magic. Minoru’s physical shield and Katsuto’s barrier counterbalanced each other.

By counterbalancing, his whereabouts were exposed to Katsuto.

The ‘offensive Phalanx’ advanced.

‘Ghost Walker’ would not make it in time.

Minoru cancelled his own shield and activated accelerating magic at the same time.

Katsuto’s barrier sent Minoru flying.

With the utmost effort, Minoru kept his consciousness from being interrupted by the pain, and amplified his momentum to fly upward.

While bearing deep wounds on his ribs and internal organs, he raised himself more and more with anti-gravity magic.

In the darkness, Minoru’s body ascended vigorously.

With his body full of wounds, he flew through the lowest clouds and carried out his escape.

Mayumi and her sisters were brought to the hospital where Minami was hospitalized. When Tatsuya and Miyuki rushed in, Kasumi and Izumi weren’t awake yet, but Mayumi had not completely lost her consciousness so she was already up on the bed with the ability to have a conversation.

“Anyway, what matters most is that there were no serious injuries.”

“I think this is all Minoru-kun allowed himself to do.”

To Tatsuya’s words, Mayumi expressed a self-deprecative smile.

“...Minoru-kun’s objective is only Minami-chan, he didn’t intend on seriously opposing us, most likely.”

“Rather than not intending to oppose, isn’t it that he didn’t want to become your enemy?”

To Miyuki’s consolation too, only bitter responses returned.

“Senpai...”

“...I’m sorry. I was childish.”

Tatsuya raised his voice to reproach Mayumi, who seems to have finally recognized her own lackluster attitude.

“No...I think it’s natural to be frustrated when you lose.”

To Miyuki’s words, Mayumi’s face revealed a groan and tilted her head.

“...Miyuki-san, have you ever lost?”

“...Yes, umm...I have, but...”

“S-Sorry. I asked something weird.”

“By the way, is Juumonji-senpai still chasing Minoru?”

Tatsuya changed the topic before the atmosphere became strange.

“Yes. But I didn’t hear it directly from him.”

Mayumi responded, also taking advantage of Tatsuya’s incentive.

“The people of the Juumonji Family said so.”

Mayumi let out a small breath. She wasn’t ridiculing herself, not pitying herself, it was a sigh of admiration.

“Juumonji-kun really is amazing...He repelled Minoru-kun with no injuries, I can’t say it enough.”

“Juumonji-senpai’s skills are definitely magnificent...but I think Juumonji-senpai would have a harder fight if he was alone.”

At Miyuki’s words, Mayumi tilted her head with a ‘uh?’.

“Fighting Kasumi-chan and Izumi-chan, and then fighting Saegusa-senpai, Minoru-kun must have been considerably exhausted too. Without your struggles, Juumonji-senpai would have been hurt.”

“Is that right...? No, it is right. I will believe so. Thank you, Miyuki-san.”

Mayumi smiled at Miyuki, and Miyuki responded to that with a small bow.

Afterwards, they talked to both Kasumi and Izumi who woke up, and then returned to their home.

They didn’t visit Minami’s hospital room. They only visited in the evening, and they heard that Minami was already asleep as she was tired from rehab.

“Seems like our senpai and the twins have gone home.”

While looking at the screen of the portable terminal in the living room, Tatsuya told Miyuki of its contents.

“I think it would be better to stay at the hospital for one night...but I guess it’s easier to calm down at their own home?”

 “You can’t calm down at a hospital that is led by the Yotsuba Family. Maybe they could, but Head-dono of the Saegusa Family can’t.”

“Onii-sama, you’re mean...But that may be the case.”

Confronted by Miyuki’s quick change in attitude, Tatsuya only smiled sarcastically.

Tatsuya let his smile end, and Miyuki too smiled in relief. Perhaps she thought she was ‘failing’ her own change in attitude [19] .

“By the way, Onii-sama. Can Juumonji-senpai capture Minoru-kun?”

It is undeniable that ‘must change topic’ was in Miyuki’s mind. But in spite of that, Miyuki was seriously concerned with the result of Minoru’s pursuit.

“It will be difficult.”

Tatsuya’s answer was concise and pessimistic.

Tatsuya knows the power Minoru holds in his hands – this was not the reason.

“Juumonji Family’s magic is revealed even in their nicknames, ‘Iron Wall’ and ‘Capital’s Final Defensive Wall’, meaning they are adequate for defending a base. They show incomparable power in intercepting and repelling an enemy, but it’s likely that they are not cut out for pursuit and capture jobs.”

“Now that you mention it, I remember that they didn’t even actively participate in the pursuit of parasites during the last ‘Vampire Incident‘.”

“Everyone has good and weak points. Juumonji-senpai also thinks his nature fits ambushes rather than chases.”

“Oh, Onii-sama. I think aptitude and nature are not always aligned.”

“...You got me there.”

Tatsuya raised both his hands while smiling, and Miyuki responded with a prideful smile.

“Apart from what Juumonji-senpai thinks.”

The jokey smile vanished from Tatsuya’s face.

Miyuki also returned to meek expression.

“The scope of Minoru’s activities was naturally restricted, as his goal is to invade the hospital. If he is bound by the policy of avoiding destroying the hospital as much as he can, his invasion routes are limited to the front entrance, the night entrance, the staff entrance, the rear entrance and the rooftop. If you are Juumonji-senpai, you’re better off waiting for Minoru to jump straight into your palm.”

“But Minoru-kun has ‘Parade’ and ‘Ghost Walker’. Both magics cause you to lose sight of what’s in front of you. Even knowing it is coming, doesn’t it make it hard to capture him?”

“It is not necessary to know exactly where Minoru is. At least not for Juumonji-senpai.”

“...I’m sorry, what do you mean?”

“Magic barriers aren’t useful just for protecting the inside from the outside. They can also be used to lock up what’s inside so it won’t go outside.”

Miyuki whispered ‘ah’, hitting her hand on her mouth.

“I don’t know in detail to what scale Juumonji-senpai can extend his magical barriers, but it probably doesn’t reach 10 or 20 meters. If he predicts Minoru’s activity area he can surround that area. If this is done, he can’t escape with ‘Parade’ or ‘Ghost Walker’.“

“I see, if you know where he’s coming from, if you’re Juumonji-senpai...”

“You can capture him, regardless of his camouflage magic.”

“Still, in situations where you can’t identify where he is heading, isn’t it difficult to beat ‘Parade’ and ‘Ghost Walker’?”

“I think so. If your reasoning is correct, it should be difficult to capture an escaping Minoru.”

Tatsuya finished talking, and revealed a bitter smile as he shrugged his shoulders.

“Of course, we’re not talking about whether I can capture him. It would be hard for me to capture him even with Elemental Sight if he uses ‘Parade’ and ‘Ghost Walker’.”

“Is that so...”

“Leaving the search to someone else may be the fastest way...Let’s hope for the Saegusa Family’s and the Kudou Family’s investigation network.”

“That was a disaster...”

Minoru kept his back to the seat of the Cabinet, spitting out words of regret to himself together with a sigh of relief.

Just ten minutes ago he shook off the Juumonji Family’s pursuit unit commanded by Katsuto, and boarded a Cabinet to go towards the Hokuriku region.

With the assistance of the parasite’s healing ability, he had already healed the injuries inflicted by Katsuto.

Seating in the trailer of the Cabinet, Minoru changed his face with ‘Parade’, and he was convinced that he finally ‘got away’.

But he still couldn’t remove the ‘Parade’ disguise. Privacy is officially guaranteed inside the Cabinet, but he doesn’t know how reliable that is. Maybe they set surveillance cameras for public protection. Also, there is no guarantee that the Ten Master Clans won’t peep from that camera.

Even so, he was freed from his tension, even if not completely, and Minoru got some room to look back at his failure this evening.

Minoru didn’t intent to underestimate the Ten Master Clans. But as seen by the result, he had no choice but to admit that he did underestimate them. He intended to kidnap Minami alone. He expected that it was possible.

But in practice, he couldn’t even invade the hospital. He was doing good until he incapacitated the three Saegusa sisters, but he was forced to give up on Minami’s abduction when he was opposed by the head of the Juumonji Family.

Mayumi, Kasumi and Izumi were also not easy to defeat. It may be seen as a victory that the fights concluded in a short time, but the three of them were far tougher than he expected.

Neither Kasumi nor Izumi would have fought as hard if they were alone. Even if they attacked at the same time, one plus one is not a threat to the current Minoru.

But the unification of the two with Multiplicative Cast definitely drove Minoru to a wall.

The outside of his body was frozen by the Izumi-led magic, it was not an act to get his opponents to lower their guard. If the parasite didn’t have a healing ability, that would have been checkmate.

The ‘Nitrogen Storm’ right after too, if you don’t know in advance about these two’s magic specialties, the counterattack may have not been decided that skillfully.

Mayumi was even stronger than Kasumi and Izumi using Multiplicative Magic. The deciding move, the Ancient Magic from the continent, the attack technique that uses chemical bodies as a medium, was originally not supposed to be used this evening.

It was completely unexpected that Mayumi would break ‘Parade’.

And then, Juumonji Katsuto. Minoru didn’t know Katsuto well. Though they had met once, all that remained in his memory was nothing but simple greetings.

It was clear now that they crossed swords. No, it should be said crossed a sword with a shield.

Katsuto truly was an ‘Iron Wall’. Even looking back at it again, a mental image on how to break through his protection didn’t appear at all.

That he had just fought the Saegusa sisters was no excuse.

It was true that he was exhausted from the successive battles.

But that was according to Minoru’s predictions, and he decided to attack tonight.

Besides the exhaustion from the fight against the sisters, he doesn’t think he could outwit Katsuto. He doesn’t think he would lose, but he also wouldn’t beat him.

(...He might be an even more formidable opponent than Tatsuya-san for me...)

The intrinsic features of Phalanx completely nullify illusions and chemical bodies.

He has tactics to attack his ‘masks’ by locking up the ‘range’ of ‘Parade’.

I can’t defeat him with just my own strength.

In the seat of the Cabinet, Minoru harshly scolded himself in chagrin.