"You'll continue in Monolith Code, Yugen," Tatsuya said.
"Sounding thrilled, or my ears deceiving me?" Yugen replied.
"Maybe. But beating 'Crimson Prince' looks promising," Tatsuya said.
In Tatsuya's room were Tatsuya, Yugen, Mikihiko, Leo, Erika, Mizuki, and Miyuki. A Course 1 and 2 mixed team was unusual, but Tatsuya and Mikihiko, being classmates, knew each other's moves. Yugen, familiar with both, saw Tatsuya's choice of Mikihiko as strategic.
Mikihiko was stunned to be a proxy player. Erika's teasing was inevitable.
"Don't treat me like a pawn," Mikihiko grumbled. "No choice but to accept. Brace yourself, Mikihiko."
"Fine. No other option," Mikihiko sighed.
With Yugen and Mikihiko on board, the team was set. Tatsuya would lead strategy, taking over from Yugen due to his flagrant violation, though unpunished.
"For tomorrow's semifinals, Yugen, you'll defend our monolith," Tatsuya said.
"Yugen on defense?" Mikihiko questioned.
He'd seen Yugen's deceptive, precise attacks in the first match. Stationing him defensively seemed odd. Yugen, however, nodded.
"Given my magic, I don't need to be upfront. Pretty cunning, Tatsuya," Yugen said.
"Compared to your Third High tactics, this is child's play," Tatsuya replied.
Tatsuya, limited by unusable spells like Decomposition or Regrowth publicly, suited the monolith-unlocking attacker role with his Yakumo-trained combat and judgment. Mikihiko's ancient magic made him ideal for guerrilla support. Yugen, unscathed but presumed injured from the collapse, was a decoy to counter "Cardinal George."
"Mikihiko, you're guerrilla. Support offense and defense from the flanks," Tatsuya said.
"Got it. But does Yugen need support?" Mikihiko asked.
"What am I to you?" Yugen groaned. "Erika, stop laughing."
"Pfft… It's true, though," Erika chuckled.
Yugen, half-resigned to his superhuman reputation, wanted to retain some human normalcy. Tatsuya pressed further.
"Mikihiko, can you use Visual Synchronization?" Tatsuya asked.
"Yugen, did Master Yakumo teach him that much?" Mikihiko asked.
"He's chatty. So, can you?" Yugen replied.
"Not Five-Sense Synchronization, but some Sensory Synchronization. Visual, yes," Mikihiko confirmed.
Yugen's visits to Yakumo's temple, met with rough welcomes, were memorable. Tatsuya had sighed at the chaos. Yakumo's esoteric Buddhist ninjutsu, distinct from Yugen's Tenjin magic, blended Yin-Yang influences. Mikihiko's father, the Yoshida head, sent him, unconcerned about minor family secrets leaking.
"What about Mikihiko's CAD?" Tatsuya asked.
"Prepared. My contact got overzealous," Yugen said, handing two cases—one with two gun-type CADs for Tatsuya, another with an arm-mounted CAD for Mikihiko.
"Specialized CADs would hinder you, Tatsuya. Use these. Details later. Mikihiko's is tailored from your CAD data," Yugen explained.
"Understood," Tatsuya said.
"You're both ridiculous," Mikihiko muttered.
"Just ensuring protection. My contact's workshop made them," Yugen said.
Tatsuya's CAD blended specialized speed with general-purpose flexibility, regulation-compliant. Mikihiko's Silver Blossom-based CAD was also legal. Tatsuya's was near-custom, designed by Yugen, who'd discuss specifics privately. Mikihiko, testing his CAD, smirked wryly.
Mikihiko's spell adjustments took an hour, and the group dispersed. Mikihiko marveled, "My old spells feel obsolete."
Left were Tatsuya, Yugen, and Miyuki—the Taurus Silver trio. Tatsuya examined his CAD.
"This has general-purpose storage capacity but specialized speed?" Tatsuya asked.
"Eleven partitioned storages, auto-switching via hardware. No speed boost, so it's legal. Spells are buffered, avoiding restrictions," Yugen explained.
Psions carry intent, a theory proven by the Psion Selector, unpublished to avoid fully thought-controlled CADs. Yugen's Valkyrie and Odin CADs, with next-gen tech, used a Psion Selector for spell recognition, enabling his 13-spell simultaneous activation against Katsuto.
Tatsuya's CAD used a Psion Selector variant for storage switching, achieving 500ms activation despite his Oath-limited skills. It allowed simultaneous Gram Demolition and systemic spells, enhancing Tatsuya's tactics without handicapping him.
Tatsuya looked impressed; Miyuki's eyes sparkled.
"You're stealing my spotlight," Tatsuya teased.
"Says the guy who publicized flight magic for global data," Yugen shot back.
"You knew," Tatsuya said.
Yugen, aware of Tatsuya's goal—flight magic data for fusion reactors—didn't object, seeing it as angelic yet ruthless. Against "Cardinal George," Yugen would face "Crimson Prince" in the finals, as Tatsuya implied.
"Also, Erika's custom CAD request dragged me into talks with Isori-senpai. Summer's booked," Yugen groaned.
Post-tournament, Yugen faced Kagurazaka visits, FLT's flight-device showcase, and a beach trip with Shizuku and Honoka. Unlike his middle school wanderings, Gozo deemed further exposure risky.
"I'll spend summer break incognito," Yugen muttered.
"Don't. Even I'd struggle to find you," Tatsuya said.
"Why look at me, Onii-sama?" Miyuki asked.
Despite tomorrow's Monolith Code, talk veered to the future, easing tension. Miyuki insisted on sharing Yugen's bed. His plea to Tatsuya was met with her intimidating smile. Siscon brother can't win, Yugen thought, resigning.
"Competing with Shizuku that much?" Yugen asked.
"I won't deny it. You should realize how many girls like you," Miyuki said.
Her point was fair, but Yugen worried about "premarital conduct" risks. Magicians' early marriage customs clashed with strict premarital conduct rules, varying by family. In the Mitsuya family, only Motoharu and Mototsugu were married, Shizuru engaged to a Yatsushiro. Yugen sighed, learning this recently. Kana and Mika were in talks, but Shina's status depended on their parents and Jiro.
Gozo and Chikime's liberal views on harems reflected their power. Yugen asked, "What did Miya-san say?"
"She welcomed it, though I found her sly," Miyuki said.
"Your family decomposes norms," Yugen said.
"Ugh… I can't deny it," Miyuki admitted.
Magicians faced stricter laws than non-magicians. The Yotsuba's "Untouchable" moniker felt like a societal norm-breaker. Yugen slept, preparing for tomorrow.
Next morning, Miyuki chided, "Coward, not making a move." Yugen retorted, "What are you saying?" Tatsuya, expressionless, stayed silent.
Don't give up, Onii-sama. Didn't a coach say quitting ends the game? Can't beat your sister? Oh, okay.
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