The phrase "one trouble follows another" fits perfectly, especially with "power." In the Three Kingdoms, the emperor or jade seal; in Japan's Sengoku era, the Ashikaga; in religion, holy sites or royal bloodlines; samurai strength, matchlock guns, or economic might—all are power. Magic is no exception.
"…Idiots," Yugen muttered, staring at his terminal. Meant as a study break, his irritation stemmed from Yata no Kagami, which infiltrated the USNA White House's secure presidential terminal, revealing approval for the Dallas National Accelerator Laboratory's Micro Black Hole Generation and Evaporation Experiment.
Two years ago, Gousan and Yugen trespassed a USNA base, defeating Angie Sirius, and were summoned to the White House. Gousan, consulted by the president, reacted sharply.
"Micro black hole experiment? Are you mad? Risking catastrophe for magic's sake?"
Gousan, a cluster wars ally of the president, had stormed the Kremlin with bokken, thwarted a papal assassination, and guarded royals, earning rare foreign medals displayed in his room—untouched, as they reminded him of his late wife.
"Is it that dangerous?" the president asked.
"Of course. This is Abe no Seimei's warning. Politicians like you might scoff, but…"
Why Gousan knew was obvious. Magic, or "superpowers," included forbidden arts, like breaching dimensional walls to draw magical energy entities. Ayakashi—later Parasites—were feared even by Seimei. Tenjin magic included black hole-level spells, but Kagurazaka records stressed avoiding gravity consumption. Yugen agreed: dimensional tampering must stay secret.
Yet the USNA defied this, driven by Tatsuya's Material Burst and Yugen's Starlight Breaker. Stars' reports listed Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Yugen as suspects.
(Suspects? Anything threatening their hegemony is evil? Same old US mindset…)
Yugen sighed at their "justice" rhetoric. Even allies acting so paranoid was maddening. This raised the Parasite risk to Japan, crushing Yugen's hope for a peaceful third term.
Post-Yokohama, Chiaki apologized to Tatsuya's group, confessing mind control per her doctor's diagnosis. Though unexpected, they accepted her apology with wry smiles.
Now, they faced the unavoidable student hurdle: test prep.
"Mikihiko, what's this part?" Leo asked.
"There… you're almost there," Mikihiko replied.
"Really? Danke!" Leo said.
"Ugh! Mizuki, I'm stuck here," Erika called.
"Here…" Mizuki explained.
Like the first term, they gathered at Shizuku's for a study session (Himeji replacing Eimi). Leo consulted Mikihiko, while Erika relied on Mizuki. Tests were unavoidable, but Shizuku's words shattered the calm.
"—Exchange program? To the USNA?" Tatsuya asked.
"Yeah, I was gagged until yesterday," Shizuku said.
Shizuku's USNA exchange was known to Godo Kai, traced to a USNA government proposal to Japan. Why Shizuku? Targeting Miyuki or Yugen made more sense. The USNA likely suspected Miyuki's Yotsuba ties and spared Yugen due to Joushima, but Shizuku was Kagurazaka's branch. The USNA taking that risk seemed unlikely.
"Is an exchange even possible?" Mizuki asked.
"Dad said it's an exchange. What's the real deal?" Shizuku asked Yugen.
"I'm not your answer machine, Shizuku. Probably 'Halloween' sparked their magic superpower pride," Yugen replied.
Yugen dodged specifics, but Godo Kai had confirmed the cause: the USNA, an ally but West Pacific rival, was too risky to trust fully. Miyuki's Yotsuba intel backed this. Shizuku, aware of the classified details, feigned ignorance.
"Still, is it safe? If that clumsy strategic mage Sirius comes, her boss'll collapse from stress. USNA leadership's screws are loose," Yugen said.
"…Angie Sirius, Stars commander?" Tatsuya asked.
"Yep. I erased her footing with Tenjin magic; she crashed in her combat suit, just knocked out. USNA tech's impressive," Yugen said.
"Surviving a top-tier strategic mage is crazier," Erika retorted.
"Angie Sirius" was a codename, unlikely her real name for Japan. Yugen's claim of defeating a world-class mage stunned all—Miyuki's eyes sparkled.
"Anyway, when's the exchange?" Yugen asked.
"Right after New Year, three months," Shizuku replied.
Yugen's Sirius encounter, as "Nagano Yuto," was hushed. Her competitive streak might spark a rematch if she learned his identity. Yugen sighed inwardly at the looming hassle. The second-term results stirred more chaos:
Yugen Kagurazaka (1-A) Miyuki Shiba(n/a) Shizuku Kitayama (1-A) Touya Rokutsuka (1-A) Himeji Ise (1-A) Honoka Mitsui (1-A) Mikihiko Yoshida (1-E) Leonhard Saijo (1-E) Mizuki Shibata (1-E) Erika Chiba (1-E)
Course 2 students scoring high was unprecedented, with Leo excelling in practical magic. Tatsuya hit exactly 100th, prompting "Did you aim for that?" stares. He sighed, while Miyuki beamed at his top 100 rank. Suspicions of slacking in term one led to teacher interrogations. In the guidance room, Leo, Erika, Mikihiko, and Mizuki faced scrutiny, while Tatsuya's group waited outside.
"They won't acknowledge our effort. How foolish," Yugen said.
"I get it, but what's up with Class A?" Tatsuya asked.
"They said we 'cheated,'" Shizuku replied.
"They didn't badmouth you, but it's their pride—petty," Touya said.
"Touya-kun…" Honoka sighed.
Teachers envied uninvolved students' success, Touya bluntly noted, earning Honoka's wry smile.
"They judge by lineage, showing their own limits," Erika said. "Oh, you're done?"
"Thanks for waiting," Leo said.
"Let's move; we're too conspicuous," Tatsuya suggested.
Nodding, they headed to Einebrise. After ordering, Erika vented.
"Those jerks! We worked hard, yet they assume we slacked last term! They demanded how we boosted our magic. So shameless, I nearly grabbed them!" Erika fumed.
She refused to share Yugen's psion control training and rebuffed her Chiba head's probing, citing Kagurazaka secrecy. Her long friendship with Yugen made his abnormality clear.
"You held back well," Tatsuya said.
"She understood the stakes. Leo stopping her helped," Mikihiko added.
"Just thought defiance was dumb," Leo said.
"You being rational's rare. Mizuki's glare helped," Erika teased.
"Something to say, Erika-chan?" Mizuki asked, smiling ominously.
Erika gave a dry laugh; Miyuki chuckled. Magic speed wasn't just familiarity—control training, like athletes' full-body conditioning, boosted psion strength and speed. Yugen's method could solve a certain issue, but its root lay in learned magic, omitted here.
"Did they say anything to you, Tatsuya-kun?" Leo asked.
"Nope. Another transfer offer, politely declined," Tatsuya replied.
Called during Miyuki, Yugen, and Honoka's student council absence, the transfer ignored next year's Nine Schools, prioritizing teacher pride over school benefit—likely hidden from the principal.
Post-tests, planning a quiet Christmas, Yugen's terminal pinged.
"Hm… Tatsuya, free for Christmas to New Year?" Yugen asked.
"What's up?" Miyuki asked.
"Mother's invite," Yugen said.
Chihime proposed a Kagurazaka Christmas party and New Year greetings, inviting friends. Mikihiko, from an ancient magic family, tilted his head at a Shinto clan celebrating a monotheistic holiday.
"Kagurazaka doing a Christmas party… is that okay?" he asked.
"No clue about Kagurazaka, but Joushima throws big ones. Erika, Shizuku, Honoka know," Yugen said.
"Gousan dresses as Santa, handing out gifts," Shizuku added.
A cluster wars hero as Santa was absurd, but his joy silenced complaints. Shizuku's parents only managed wry smiles.
The Kagurazaka Christmas party was lavish, blending Japanese reverence with Western flair, a yin-yang specialty. Doubling as Shizuku's send-off, it included Tatsuya's group, Chihime, and her disciples Shuuichi and Yume. Touya, summoned by Rokutsuka, was absent, frustrated.
"Shuuichi and Yume are going to America too?" Erika asked.
"Yeah. Yume's Second High's rep, I'm Third High's proxy," Shuuichi said.
Erika was shocked—three acquaintances studying abroad, and Shuuichi, not a Third High student, as proxy. He shrugged, "Dad's orders."
"Where to?" Honoka asked.
"Berkeley," Shizuku replied.
"Not Boston?" Miyuki asked.
"East Coast's vibe is off," Shizuku said.
Boston, modern magic's hub, was expected, but Godo Kai had coordinated. Anti-magic unrest in the US, tied to "Humanists," made secrecy vital. The festive mood wasn't for such grim talk.
"'Humanists' are stirring, right? News is full of it," Mikihiko said.
"Witch hunts to mage hunts—history's dumb cycle," Leo spat.
Non-mages fearing mages was understandable, but a mastermind's "preparations" were clear. Tatsuya spoke.
"Recent 'mage hunts' tie to neo-white supremacy. West Coast's safer," he said.
"Zero risk, no, but trouble would crush USNA's pride," Yugen added.
"True," Shizuku agreed.
The sudden program meant trouble for Shizuku would rouse Joushima and Kagurazaka. Yugen alone knew of existing USNA issues, saving Godo Kai intel for the party and prioritizing Kagurazaka duties and ESCAPES planning.
"Who's the exchange student?" Tatsuya asked.
"No clue, just that it's a girl," Shizuku said.
Withholding details screamed "USNA government affiliate." As a minor, limited disclosure was expected, but only gender and age suggested trouble.
"I know some details. Want them?" Yugen offered.
"Really? Trustworthy, but who is she?" Shizuku asked.
"Angelina Kudou Shields. She'll swap with you post-New Year," Yugen said.
Sourced via Yata no Kagami from the Pentagon, tied to the black hole experiment, Yugen investigated Lina's background.
"Kudou… General Kudou's granddaughter?" Tatsuya asked.
"Likely, given her age. A Clan offshoot, so no wonder it's hush-hush," Yugen said.
Another student was coming—Angelina Kudou Shields, Sirius. Despite her skill, controlling Heavy Metal Burst's building-level destruction was odd. Meeting the president, Yugen learned of Lina's twin sister, suggesting Saigusa's Multiplicative Cast—a rare skill. If both used it, it explained the control. This twin might demand more caution, Yugen sighed inwardly.
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 20+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/Greyhounds
If you guys wanna check it out.