The rookie matches start the day after tomorrow, but with the main events wrapping up tomorrow, Yugen, as rookie coordinator, will shift into high gear. Competing in Ice Pillars Break and Monolith Code, he'll be tied up for four of the five rookie days.
Though he's set a broad strategy, tactics and operations fall to the strategy and technical staff. Suzune, on strategy, is on board. Of the eight technical staff, only Kei, Azusa, and Tatsuya handle full manual CAD adjustments. Tatsuya covers girls' Speed Shooting, Pillars Break, and Mirage Bat; Azusa handles girls' Battle Board and assists Cloud Ball. Kei, tied to main Pillars Break and Monolith Code, is unassigned.
Originally, same-sex assignments were planned, but over half the first-year boys (mainly Morisaki) protested, and Miyuki and Honoka begged for Tatsuya. Trust between players and engineers matters, so other available techs cover the boys.
Fortunately, Touya, keen on magical engineering, was trained by Kana. Yugen recommended him as Azusa's sub for tomorrow's girls' Battle Board semifinals. As coordinator, Yugen's tent-bound, so Touya's a proxy. He's 80% proficient in manual adjustments—not perfect, but better than nothing.
Touya, competing in rookie boys' Speed Shooting and Cloud Ball, volunteered despite the load, saying, "I'd worry about my girlfriend's results and lose focus." Yugen could only wryly smile at the lovesick reasoning.
Yugen, self-sufficient in CAD tuning, lets two other staff handle boys' Pillars Break. His general-purpose CAD, loaded only with modern magic, is locked to basic single-system output if check machines extract its activation sequences, due to personalized optimization. Check machines read but don't modify sequences, and strict regulations ensure competent engineers—perhaps naively trusting.
Yugen knows the check machines' specs, having designed most of the competition's equipment. In exchange, he secretly extracted committee data but hasn't told Tatsuya. Over half the committee is infiltrated by "Headless Dragon," a draining discovery he passed to Gousan discreetly.
Before meeting Kirihara, Yugen watched the boys' Pillars Break second round, aiming for Katsuto's final match. Planning to go alone, he unexpectedly ran into two girls: Yume Takatsuki (Second High, first-year) and Hikari Ise (Seventh High, first-year). He'd anticipated meeting them soon, but not this fast.
"Is… this seat free?" Hikari asked shyly.
"Sure," Yugen replied, ignoring her hesitation.
"Wait, you're from this morning! Sorry about that," Yume said, keeping her voice low among spectators.
Yume sat beside Yugen, Hikari next to her. Hikari pouted, but Yume's "don't worry" calmed her. Yugen followed suit.
"No worries. What about the other guy from this morning?"
"He'll probably win anyway," Yume said. "Oh, introductions! I'm Yume Takatsuki, Second High, first-year. This shy one's Hikari Ise, Seventh High, first-year."
"Yume!" Hikari cleared her throat. "Hikari Ise, Seventh High. Pleased to meet you."
"Polite, huh? Yugen Mitsuya, First High, first-year. Nice to meet you, Takatsuki-san, Ise-san."
Both girls froze, stunned that a Ten Master Clans heir stopped their magic. They hadn't expected such power. Yume whispered, "Can you use Tenjin Magic?"
"Yeah. My mother's from the Jousen family, and I'm a New Shadow Style swordsmanship master."
Yugen didn't expect the direct question but saw no point hiding what's easily traceable. His master status was technically "provisional," but approved, so fair. Yume laughed dryly, glancing at Hikari's glare.
"Ha, no wonder we were stopped," Yume said.
"Yume, what're you telling him?" Hikari asked.
"Just your weaknesses," Yume teased.
"W-What!?"
"Relax, nothing like that," Yugen assured.
Yume's energy clashed with Hikari's reserve, sparking friendly bickering. The field stirred as players appeared. Katsuto wore Cross-Field Club protective gear, similar to Mototsume's. His opponent seemed intimidated.
"Cross-Field gear? Very him," Yugen noted.
"Is he really a high schooler? Age fraud?" Yume quipped.
"Yume… but his presence is like a 'rock.' Fitting the 'Iron Wall' title," Hikari said.
Yugen got Yume's point. Katsuto's refined interior belied his beyond-high-schooler aura, as if "responsibility" was his first word. His siblings likely struggled under his shadow—parental vibes and all. Yugen kept quiet to spare Katsuto's feelings.
The match began. Katsuto encased his pillars in a box-shaped "Phalanx." The opponent's magic faltered against Phalanx's iron wall and Katsuto's interference strength.
"Brutal. They're stuck until their psions run dry or another Phalanx crushes them," Yugen said.
"Could you break it, Hikari?" Yume asked.
"Barely. You'd need 'Shiden,' and I'd need 'Wind Sever.' Those layered defenses are tough," Hikari replied.
Phalanx's defense once forced Yugen to use "Round Blade." Other methods existed, but he preferred discretion. Yume and Hikari knew "Shiden" and "Wind Sever" as high-tier Tenjin Magic, which Yugen avoided mentioning.
Katsuto's victory seemed certain, but he acted. He deployed a rectangular Phalanx before the opponent's pillars, took a spear-thrusting stance on the platform, and struck forward. The Phalanx extended, shattering three pillars.
"Offensive Phalanx… a true 'spear,'" Yugen murmured.
Katsuto destroyed the remaining nine pillars similarly, shutting out his opponent for the third round. He could've won with interference strength alone, but chose to reveal Offensive Phalanx. Noticing Katsuto's gaze, Yugen realized it was a message. He returned a serious nod discreetly.
(He showed me Offensive Phalanx as courtesy for my Round Blade. As a Ten Master Clans heir, he's urging me to fight worthy of the name. Classic chairman.)
Katsuto, descending the platform, smiled faintly, message received.
Watching from the tent, Mayumi was stunned by Katsuto's intensity, unveiling Offensive Phalanx in the second round. Mari, beside her, agreed.
"What do you think, Mari?" Mayumi asked.
"Maybe firing up the rookie boys. Yugen-kun was watching, right?" Mari replied.
"Probably repaying April's 'Round Blade' with Offensive Phalanx. Not exactly subtle," Mayumi mused.
Mari thought Mayumi's words boomeranged but stayed silent. Recalling Yugen's Round Blade as a judge, she deduced Katsuto's gesture was reciprocal, urging a Ten Master Clans-worthy performance, especially with Third High's Ichijou in rookie Pillars Break.
"Ten Master Clans clash… your take?" Mari asked.
"No clue. Ichijou's 'Explosion' could end it instantly," Mayumi said.
Mayumi couldn't gauge Yugen's strength. His end-of-term practicals were top-notch, but his specialty was unclear. The Mitsuya siblings' varied strengths made predicting his match with Masaki impossible.
"I asked Miyuki-san. Even she didn't know Yugen-kun's specialty. He mentioned 'all vibration systems' in homeroom," Mayumi said.
"All vibration systems? Makes sense, given he used Mika's Blitz Road," Mari noted.
Mari saw Yugen use Blitz Road, confirming his light-wave vibration mastery. But that didn't explain slicing Ryoka's "Downburst" with a hand chop, dismissed as "New Shadow Style business." When Mayumi pressed Yugen on his true specialty, he said, "Convergence magic."
Technically a different system, "Air Ride Burst" was its byproduct. Mayumi, unaware, groaned. "He's a total mystery."
"Into him?" Mari teased.
"N-No way!" Mayumi blushed, protesting.
Her actions screamed otherwise. Mari sighed. "Valentine's mess, right? Father told me. Your fault?"
"Not just me! Izumi backed me!" Mayumi huffed.
Mari pitied the Saegusa patriarch, swayed by his daughters. At least the tent's privacy spared them exposure.
"You knew it'd come out at enrollment. Why the stunt?" Mari asked.
"It started as a half-joke, but Father thought it'd work. I didn't expect the Jousen family to step in," Mayumi admitted.
"Calm down. You're the team leader," Mari scolded, unusually composed, perhaps from Mika's influence, urging Mayumi to act with authority.
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