In an Izu villa, Miya Shiba, Tatsuya and Miyuki's mother, smiled at a monitor showing highlights of the Men's and Women's Ice Pillars Break finals.
"Miyuki's still sloppy. More likable than perfect, though… What do you think, Minami?" Miya asked.
"Valid point, Madam. But Miyuki-sama managed high-level magic under 'Oath' constraints, which is commendable," Minami Sakurai, Miya's new guardian, replied.
Minami was stunned that Miyuki and Shizuku performed advanced Inferno and Phonon Maser variants.
"Shizuku pushed Miyuki hard. That magic—likely a Phonon Maser variant—is unbelievable," Minami said.
"Only he could pull that off," Miya mused.
"Tatsuya-sama?" Minami asked.
Miya shook her head. "Tatsuya's analysis is top-notch, but refining Phonon Maser's power to that level is beyond him."
"Then who?"
"Yugen Mitsuya. The boy Miyuki loves and Tatsuya respects. A potential 'Joker' like Tatsuya."
Miya watched all of Yugen's matches, noticing traces of his twin sister's Meteor Line in his magic. She sighed, suspecting Maya aimed to recruit him to the Yotsuba.
"Better than Ichijo's 'Crimson Prince'?" Minami asked.
"The finals prove it. His combat experience ensures he won't falter against Ichijo in Monolith Code," Miya said.
Minami sensed Miya's fondness for Yugen but stayed silent. During the match, Minami blushed at Yugen's close-up, and Miya teased her.
"Minami, fighting Miyuki for him? He's in for trouble," Miya laughed.
"M-Madam! I don't… I mean…" Minami stammered, blushing at Yugen's serious expression.
Miya smiled, knowing Minami's feelings as a tuned body. She knew a solution but kept it secret—only the Yotsuba head, head butler, Honami, and Miya's doctor knew. Exposure could spark danger, so Miya lived in seclusion, training in the villa's underground facility.
(I'm worried about Tatsuya's love life. Maybe I should ask him to do something), Miya thought. She felt responsible for his situation but feared his emotions could trigger magical outbursts, a concern Maya shared.
Day 7, Rookie Monolith Code
Monolith Code, a 3v3 team battle, involved capturing the opponent's monolith by inputting a magic code or incapacitating their team. Direct physical attacks were banned, but magic attacks were allowed within regulations. Stages were randomly chosen: grassland, rocky, forest, valley, or urban. First High's first match against Sixth High was on a rocky stage.
Despite deviations from the original story, the "Generator" was neutralized, per confidential reports. Tatsuya, the Mirage Bat engineer, was instructed to avoid interfering if "Headless Dragon" caused issues in Monolith Code. He cheered Honoka and Subaru before they left.
Yugen, in protective gear, was addressed by Takasuke.
"You sure about this, Yugen?"
"He volunteered for offense. Takasuke, handle defense," Yugen said.
Originally, Yugen was offense, Morisaki defended the monolith, and Takasuke played guerrilla. But Morisaki, spurred by Tatsuya's success and Yugen's Ice Pillars win, demanded offense. Yugen sighed, accepted, and reassigned Takasuke, expecting Suzune's scolding later.
At match start, Morisaki charged the monolith, shocking Takasuke and exasperating Yugen. The enemy waited at their monolith, forcing a 1v3. Morisaki's strength was in surprise attacks, not frontal assaults. Two opponents used weighted magic to pin him.
(That idiot! If you're such a proud Bloom, use your strengths!), Yugen thought.
Leaving Takasuke to defend, Yugen fired a spell at his feet with his gun-type CAD, vanishing with self-acceleration. He flanked the enemy monolith via the field's edge, minimizing sound and magic output. Spotting the monolith, he deliberately triggered a detectable self-acceleration spell.
"What!?" an opponent gasped.
"Intercept—!" another shouted.
Yugen's Convergence Release spell knocked all three out, securing First High's victory. Morisaki, freed from the weighted magic, panted heavily.
Sixth High was stunned—Yugen, supposedly at First High's monolith, had reached theirs. His Dream-Reality spell, a Tenjin magic projecting a hologram of him and Takasuke within a 10-meter radius, tricked them. Yugen's flank run reinforced the illusion. He'd informed Takasuke (calling it a light-vibration spell) to focus on defense.
Post-match, Suzune grilled Morisaki. "Any excuses?"
"None," Morisaki muttered.
Without Yugen's intervention, First High would've faced Sixth High shorthanded. Suzune had planned for Yugen's offense to free Morisaki and Igarashi. "Did you think you could win alone?" she asked.
"Senpai, more matches await. Let's move on," Yugen interjected.
"Fine. Original formation for the next matches. Agreed?" Suzune confirmed, leaving after Morisaki nodded.
Yugen faced Morisaki. "What's eating you?"
"Yugen…" Takasuke cautioned.
"Morisaki, you're skilled, and your results show it. Must you win everything?"
"You wouldn't get it! Someone who's always top in theory and practice can't understand!" Morisaki snapped.
"I get wanting to win. But everyone has strengths and weaknesses," Yugen said. "I've failed plenty. Prove yourself next match. You're offense, Takasuke's guerrilla, and I'll defend if needed."
"What!?" Morisaki exclaimed.
"You serious?" Takasuke asked.
"Dead serious. I'll take Suzune's lecture. I believe in you, Morisaki," Yugen said.
Morisaki smirked. "Fine, I'm in. Don't cry later."
"That's the spirit," Yugen replied.
The next match was against Fourth High in an urban field—the same setup as the original story's accident. Yugen suspected the "Battering Ram" spell, equivalent to Explosion in lethality, was used. Regulations banned such spells, and Fourth High wouldn't risk a CAD check violation. A tampered monitoring system could cover it as an "accident." Yugen hoped to avoid dampening Morisaki's drive.
Mirage Bat and Monolith Code
Subaru and Honoka passed Mirage Bat qualifiers, resting until the 5 p.m. final. Tatsuya, taking a break, encouraged them. Honoka was elated.
"What about you, Onii-sama?" Miyuki asked.
"I'll rest in my room. Watch Monolith Code with the others," Tatsuya said, retiring to his hotel room.
He recalled last night's talk with Yugen, who'd set a soundproof field to discuss the Headless Dragon.
"Headless Dragon's handled?" Tatsuya asked.
"Grandpa's on it. They've overstepped, especially with the 'Sorcery Booster,'" Yugen said.
The booster, powered by magicians' brains, was vile. "It's not just Japan's problem. Even USNA's 'Stars' strategic mage is moving," Yugen added.
"Brain-based? Like蛊毒?" Tatsuya asked.
"Likely," Yugen confirmed.
Yugen's Third Eye Zero, a visual enhancement device for long-range magic, was destroyed by Tatsuya's Decomposition post-Okinawa. Tatsuya trusted Yugen to handle Fourth High.
Monolith Code: First High vs. Fourth High
In an urban field's dilapidated building, Yugen sensed malice. Seven seconds before the start, he detected a Battering Ram spell forming on the ceiling. Then, another appeared on a nearby wall.
(What!?)
A second Battering Ram was impossible in the original story. Even with protective gear, it could be fatal. Prioritizing safety, Yugen deployed a barrier spell. But the unstable building collapsed under the spell's impact, engulfing First High's team in rubble.
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