A single large vehicle sped south—a trailer driven by Katsuto. Atop it stood Yugen, not fixed by hardening magic but secured by relative positioning to move freely on the cargo bed. Honoka's optical magic cloaked the trailer, blending it with the surroundings. Mikihiko's comm came through.
"Yugen, heavy enemy signatures ahead. Plan?"
Yugen sensed it was near the Great Asian Alliance's full assault force. He patched into Katsuto's radio.
"Senpai, charge through."
"Use magic?"
"Should be fine, but deploy forward just in case."
"Understood."
As the comm cut, Katsuto unleashed [Phalanx] ahead. Yugen commanded [Phoenix], stationed high above, to dive, incinerating the assault force's information reinforcement and event interference with mocking ease.
Mizuki, witnessing this fragment of nature's vast energy tamed by Yugen's Tenjin summoning through her Eye, flinched and clung to Mikihiko.
"Kya!? S-Sorry, Yoshida-kun!" Mizuki stammered.
"N-No, it's fine…" Mikihiko replied.
Yugen's act inadvertently sparked a suspension bridge effect, easing Leo and others' tension. Erika, predictably, teased the pair.
4:00 PM Local Time.
At Yokohama Bay Hills Tower's street, enemies abandoned stealth, attacking with mobile weapons and ancient magic homunculi. Yet they were pushed back, largely due to one boy in a red-black combat suit with vivid red lines, wielding twin crimson-decorated tachi.
"What's wrong, Alliance cowards? Can't pass me to reach the tower?" Shuji Miyamoto taunted.
Despite facing homunculi and machines, Shuji's dual tachi cut them down. Bullets aimed at him vaporized in the flames enveloping him. He advanced slowly.
"Don't mock us!"
A mobile weapon, unable to withstand his pressure, swung a chainsaw arm. Shuji, unfazed, ignited his left tachi's flames, slashing upward. The chainsaw, multiply severed in one stroke, didn't distract the pilot before Shuji's flaming blade pierced the cockpit, killing him.
As the machine collapsed, enemy soldiers faltered. Shuji merged his tachi, forming a single radiant blade.
"Roar, Muramasa. Rikudou Gorin: Tsumukari Daestenshou."
One swing engulfed the soldiers in light. When it faded, only slash marks remained. Exhaling, Shuji's blade split back into two.
"Thanks to Yugen for unlocking this, but Muramasa's a wild beast," he muttered.
Since the new term, Shuji trained with Yugen and at the Miyamoto house. Second in Godo Kai to master Tenrei Reiso, his fire-specialized Muramasa boasted top-tier physical attack power. Rikudou Gorin: Tsumukari Daestenshou focused that power, incinerating interference and reinforcement. A trump card unfit for public, it thrilled Shuji with his growth, yet he vowed greater self-discipline.
Yugen's psion control, even for this move, was "beyond measure"—Shuji doubted he could win against him. A familiar voice crackled through his comm.
"Gouen, you hear me?"
"Commander, what's up?" Shuji replied.
"Trailer's passing through—don't attack."
"What does—"
Before he could ask, Shuji saw the trailer, stunned by Katsuto driving and Yugen atop it.
"No northern invasion force?" Shuji asked.
"Phoenix handled it. Chinatown status?"
"As planned, Raitei redirected a landing ship's missile, hitting Chinatown's east gate," Shuji reported.
Anticipating missile strikes, they minimized city damage, diverting the attack to destroy Chinatown's Azure Dragon Gate. Chen Xiangshan and Zhou Gongjin's verbal deal made this inconsequential. Zhou might see it as aiding the enemy, but not all Chinatown residents aligned with him. Best to avoid their disputes.
"Understood. Enemies are retreating faster than expected, but stragglers may turn guerrilla. Stay vigilant and rendezvous at the planned point."
"Roger, Commander," Shuji replied.
Post-comm, Shuji hurled his tachi at hidden soldiers behind cover. The blades pierced through, engulfing them in flames instantly.
Yugen's (solo) defeat of the northern invasion was good news for evacuees heading north from the convention center. For the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion, tasked with annihilation, it was anticlimactic.
Tatsuya, in a Movable Suit with Bahamut from Yugen, erased enemies. As threats vanished, Yanagi approached.
"Special Lieutenant, all clear?" Yanagi asked.
"Yes, sir. Intel suggested more soldiers, but he annihilated them," Tatsuya replied.
Tatsuya's Spirit Eye sensed a powerful independent information body—Yugen's magic, unseen yet devastating enemies with hellfire. Even Tatsuya deemed Yugen's casual large-scale magic impossible for himself.
Masaki was absent, likely guiding evacuees. Tatsuya dismissed further thought.
"Godo Kai, huh? Major mentioned it, but him being one… best not to oppose," Yanagi said.
"Wise judgment. Next steps?" Tatsuya asked.
"Hand evacuees to Ten Master Clans, then eliminate landing reinforcements. Fujibayashi's intel says the landing ship's hydrazine fuel makes immediate destruction risky," Yanagi replied.
Environmental concern in war seemed odd, but Tatsuya had no counterargument.
"You'll handle that, but first, secure evacuees. Count on you," Yanagi ordered.
"Yes, sir," Tatsuya saluted.
Buses carrying magic high school students and researchers crossed the Tama River into Tokyo, guarded by Juumonji-led police. Miyuki and Shizuku, task complete, contacted Yugen.
"Mission complete. Handed to Juumonji. Next?" Miyuki asked.
"Got it. Hyouzetsu, Tenshin, head to rendezvous point."
"Understood. Shizuku, ready?" Miyuki asked.
"No issue. We've trained enough," Shizuku replied.
Using wristband CADs, they flew south. Mayumi watched, feeling frustration.
"Mayumi," Mari said.
"I know… about them, and Yuu-kun," Mayumi replied.
Ten Master Clans oversee mages with extralegal privileges, but Yugen's authority surpassed them, with Miyuki and Shizuku as subordinates. Mayumi and Mari questioned Godo Kai's attire, but Miyuki cut in:
"I'm sorry, but Godo Kai matters are national critical secrets. Neither Shizuku nor I can discuss them."
Mayumi once suspected Tatsuya and Miyuki as Extra lineage. Now, she guessed an obscure ancient magic house, possibly tied to Mitsuya's Yaguruma retainers. Not entirely wrong, this incident confirmed their non-Clan status, and Mayumi ceased probing.
"'Right person, right role' isn't wrong, but we're stuck as 'civilians.' What's the point of the Clans?" Mayumi sighed.
"That's…" Mari trailed off.
Neither loved fighting; they honed magic for survival, born into mage families, forsaking non-magic paths. Mayumi's feeling was envy.
"Can't laugh at that sly old man… I'm still green," Mayumi chuckled.
"You just realized? After all that bravado?" Mari teased.
"Fumyuu!?" Mayumi squeaked.
Suzune piled on.
"No helping it, Mari-san. Mayumi's a natural, oblivious devil. I pointed it out, and she brushed it off with 'No way~,'" Suzune said.
"I said that!?" Mayumi gasped.
"I have the recording if you want," Suzune offered.
(Why does she have that?) Mari thought.
Suzune's recording, made for unrelated purposes, wasn't blackmail. Still, Mari mentally ranked Suzune as the third-year's most dangerous foe.
Nearby, Takeaki, separated from Katsuto, watched Miyuki and Shizuku fly off. Spring's incident proved they weren't ordinary; his combat experience paled in comparison. Kei and Kanon's voices interrupted.
"Kanon, calm down," Kei urged.
"Why! Tatsuya-kun's still there! He attracts trouble!" Kanon protested.
Her point was fair. Miyuki assured their safety, but no one imagined Yugen's group fighting terrorists. Still, badmouthing Tatsuya was uncalled for. Sayaka intervened.
"Chairman, slandering Shiba-kun isn't right. It insults the prior chairman's work to bridge Course 1 and 2 divides," Sayaka said.
"But—" Kanon began.
"Nhibu's right, Chiyoda. I know their strength. All we can do is pray they return safely," Takeaki added.
Kei, apologetic, calmed Kanon.
"Kanon, cool off. We're past the river, but it's not safe," Kei said.
"Sorry… Thinking of them fighting, as a Hyaku heir, I can't stay silent. But as Discipline Chairman, I have duties," Kanon admitted.
Recklessness endangered others. As chairman, Kanon had to curb chaos. Accepting Sayaka, Takeaki, and Kei's words, she turned from Yokohama to fulfill her role.
Bay Hills Tower's front was silent, as if deserted. With the operation failing faster than expected, Lu Ganghu and his special forces faced a man in black-and-purple combat attire—Joushima Genji, Godo Kai deputy and current Joushima head.
"First meeting, Lu Ganghu. My sister and juniors troubled you, but if you call me Illusion Blade, it won't end with injuries," Genji warned.
Genji wielded a nodachi-length blade single-handedly. By weapon logic, length meant weight, but exceptions existed. No need for explanations to enemies. Genji readied his blade.
Lu, donning the ancient magic talisman White Tiger Armor, charged with its defensive power. Genji, anticipating, thrust his free left hand forward, stopping Lu's charge single-handedly.
"Decent charge, but short of Iron Wall. Fly," Genji muttered.
He kicked; Lu, reading it, dodged with a backstep, smirking. Genji remained calm.
"You dodged a tenth of my speed… Leo, Erika, take him. You can do it," Genji said.
"Seriously? No time to argue," Leo replied.
"Good test. Screw up, it's joint responsibility," Erika teased.
"Got it," Leo said.
Armed with black-painted bokken-like devices that turned silver with psions, Leo and Erika faced Lu's charge. Other soldiers aimed rifles, but Genji intervened.
"Can't see through basic concealment, fools," Genji scoffed, echoing his predecessor.
Appearing behind the soldiers, he swung Dragon Claw, felling them instantly. Monitoring surroundings, he watched the trio's fight.
"Gah!" Lu roared.
"Like a damn tiger!" Leo grunted.
Leo blocked Lu's attack with a gauntlet CAD, swinging his tachi device. Lu dodged narrowly. Leo's psion wall parried a kick but pushed him back. Erika swung her device; Lu backstepped, creating distance. They stood back-to-back, eyeing Lu.
"Plan?" Leo asked.
"If Genji-san's right, he can disrupt our aim. Leo, stall him for a second," Erika said.
"Got it," Leo replied.
Briefed on Kimon Tonkou, they'd trained partial counters. Not perfect, but death awaited failure. Nodding, Leo charged with self-acceleration. Lu activated Kimon Tonkou, aiming a side kick. But Lu faltered.
"What!?"
Using Kimon Tonkou and Steel Qigong required intense focus. Lu, underestimating teens after losing to one, felt like he'd kicked steel. Pain disrupted both spells. Leo's Phase Burst compressed impact, countering on contact. Prepped for surprise attacks, Leo triggered it post-acceleration—a feat impossible before Nine Schools, but now within his speed. A risky counter, it suited Leo's defensive prowess, per its teacher.
"Shinryu-ryu Third Blade: Kirin Kensei," Erika declared.
At max acceleration, Erika's device glowed orange with her psions. Her slash shattered White Tiger Armor's limbs, cutting Lu's body. Shinryu-ryu's fourth secret, Kirin, used enhanced speed to fell enemies instantly. Combined with Chiba-ryu's Kiriin, Erika destroyed the armor. Mid-teens, she'd mastered Shinryu-ryu's third blade—an undeniable genius, though she'd deny it.
Shinryu-ryu and Chiba-ryu wielded magic-driven swordplay, but swordsmen were "used" by magic. Shinryu-ryu's founder, Nobutsume's heir, declared: "The sword extends the self; it holds only your soul and will. A heartless blade is mere tyranny." Its four secret arts equated sword and magic. Genji and Gousan broke the "used by magic" mindset—details omitted.
As Lu struggled, Leo raised his device.
"First Blade: Reiki Batto."
Shinryu-ryu's third secret, Reiki, converged psions into a narrow "line," matching Thin-Wing Dragonfly's cutting power. Leo's strike shattered White Tiger Armor's chestplate, reaching Lu's body. Before fainting, Lu saw the armor's ruins and the two teens who defeated him.
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