If you noticed, it was already too late.
In the old Nara Prefecture, in Ikoma, stood the grand main residence of the Kuzumi family. In one of its rooms, a lone boy sat, engrossed in his information terminal.
His name was Mitsutake Kuzumi, the grandson of Retsu Kuzumi and the youngest son of Makoto Kuzumi. Normally, as a first-year student at Second High School, he would be at school at this hour, but today he was absent. Or rather, to be precise, today, too, he was absent.
(Lately, Grandfather's behavior has been strange… no, there were signs even before this.)
Mitsutake had vaguely sensed that Retsu was pitying him or brooding over his condition, even if Retsu never voiced it explicitly. The only other person who frequently visited him in this room was his cousin, Kyoko. There was also someone else he often spoke with via the terminal, even if they didn't come in person.
(But I can't burden him… especially not when Grandfather's situation has already strained things.)
That person was Yugen Kagurazaka. Until around the upper elementary years, Yugen had been even frailer than Mitsutake, but from that point on, he gained a body no different from a healthy person's. Moreover, he possessed an unparalleled magical technique—a fusion of modern and ancient magic, a rarity in the world.
Mitsutake vividly remembered their meeting when Yugen still went by the name "Yuto Nagano." Despite being the same age, Yugen had a magical prowess that surpassed Mitsutake's, and for Mitsutake, who could barely attend school, Yugen became one of his few friends.
They exchanged private numbers and addresses, keeping in touch regularly. Thanks to this, Mitsutake rarely felt lonely.
However, Yugen's strength—capable of tearing apart the chains of the Ten Master Clans—was astonishing, even to Mitsutake. Yugen had effortlessly defeated the "Crimson Prince" of the Ichijo family, a combat veteran, in a feat that left Mitsutake in awe. Later, Retsu informed him that Yugen had become a member of the Kagurazaka family, the guardians, rather than the Mitsuya family.
Retsu had said in front of Mitsutake, "I understand that such strength cannot be left unchecked. But couldn't he have at least said something?" Mitsutake surmised that Retsu had intended to keep Yugen tied to the Twenty-Eight Families in some way.
In response, Mitsutake had spoken clearly:
"Grandfather, he has shown unparalleled strength. We must not think of keeping him for the Kuzumi family's sake."
Yugen's magical techniques included those passed down by the Ueyama family. Attempting to bind him would understandably provoke resistance or concern from the Mitsuya family. Even if the secret behind Yugen's transformation from frailty to health could potentially improve Mitsutake's own condition, trying to force Yugen into the framework of the Ten Master Clans would only harm the other clans.
That aside, since returning from Tokyo in February, Retsu's visits had dwindled. All Mitsutake knew about that time was the so-called "Vampire Incident" that had caused a stir in Tokyo. With few people he could confide in, Mitsutake, after much deliberation, decided to consult Yugen.
June 25, 2096. Monday.
On a night when ordinary students might still be at school, a figure clad in a riding suit peered through binoculars from atop a tree. It was none other than Yugen Kagurazaka. Beside him, standing beneath the tree in similar gear, was Yusaku Ise, the head of the Ise family, the primary house of the Kagurazaka clan.
"Young Master, how is it?" Yusaku asked.
"—They're there. Those are the 'P-Weapons'… no, perhaps 'Parasidolls' would be a better name," Yugen replied.
Yugen's binoculars were trained on the former Ninth Magic Development Institute, now renamed the "Ninth-Class Magic Development Institute," a private research facility.
Using specially enchanted binoculars, Yugen activated Osiris Sight, a divine eye that captured the very structure of the Parasidolls. Meanwhile, Yusaku maintained a warding spell to keep others at bay. As a divine magic, it was imperceptible to modern sensory spells.
Finishing his observation, Yugen let out a breath. Though they were several kilometers from the institute for safety, there was no guarantee Osiris Sight wouldn't be detected. Landing softly to avoid making noise, Yugen signaled Yusaku to dispel the ward.
"I never imagined you'd go out of your way to assist me, Yusaku-san," Yugen said.
"The New Year's incident was partly my fault for not guiding my son better. Besides, assisting the next head is also per the Lady's orders."
During the New Year's unveiling, Yusaku's eldest son had been among those present. Unlike the domineering attitudes of the Miyamoto or Takatsuki boys (barring Shuji, of course), his son had joined reluctantly, only to be swept away by Yugen's power. Yusaku, as a member of the star-gazing clan, saw it as a humbling lesson and had apologized to Yugen.
"So, what's the plan?" Yusaku asked.
"For now, we should station people around Ikoma, but keep them at a distance from the Kuzumi estate and the institute. Ideally, someone who can detect Continental-style magic," Yugen replied.
"Understood."
Yugen's visit was to scout the progress of the Parasidolls. Though he could have observed from Tokyo if he wished, he was cautious about revealing his hand against the "Ninth" practitioners of ancient magic. Once Yusaku vanished, Yugen used Mirrorgate to return directly to his room in the Shiba household.
The Last Week of June
With final exams approaching, Yugen and Toya were running through the training forest behind the school after classes. This forest wasn't just for magical training but also catered to students aiming for physically demanding careers like the military, police, or rescue services. It featured calculated terrain, dense trees, ponds, sandy patches, waterways, and various equipment—less intense than a TV show challenging physical limits but still robust.
Yugen, trained in Shinkage-ryu swordsmanship, and Toya, who could run up Mount Fuji like it was a casual jog, moved effortlessly, barely breaking a sweat, as if out for a light jog.
"I heard about the Steeplechase Cross-Country event, but I question the organizing committee's sanity. That's not a competition for the Nine Schools," Yugen said.
"Right? It's less a spectacle and more something even military mages would hesitate to tackle," Toya replied.
Steeplechase Cross-Country was a military training exercise used by armies worldwide for mountain and forest drills. It included natural and artificial obstacles, automatic turrets, and magical interference. Though adopted as a competition, they hoped real bullets wouldn't be used for high schoolers. Still, the thought of Parasidolls weighed heavily on Yugen.
"I heard the National Defense Forces meddled with this year's committee," Toya said.
"Even after what happened in Yokohama and this spring, they forgot?" Yugen asked.
"There's always a faction itching for a fight," Toya replied.
The hardline faction of the National Defense Forces sought to end the war with the Great Asian Alliance for "complete peace." But showing off power could backfire, inviting fear from others. Igor Andreevich Bezobrazov and Edward Clark feared Tatsuya's power, while William Macleod worried about Japan's growing strength. The hardliners likely banked on the strategic magic used in the Scorched Aurora Halloween, but neither the military brass, the government, nor the Guardians would agree.
"Even if we end the war with the Alliance, they could reinvade for our magical technology. And there's the New Soviet Union to consider," Yugen said.
"True, that's not something to ignore," Toya agreed.
Toya had once killed New Soviet soldiers during their attempted invasion of Sado. He'd been there as a tourist, not expecting combat. Yugen, who'd fought in the Okinawa Defense, might've felt similarly without his prior knowledge.
The two navigated the dense forest, training to maintain high-speed movement through pathless terrain—a regimen closer to ninja training than military. Returning to the starting point, they found most of the mountaineering club sprawled out, exhausted. A female member, Minami, ran up with towels.
"Yugen-nii-sama, Toya-san, good work," she said.
"Thanks, Minami," Yugen replied.
"Sorry," Toya added.
Though barely sweating, they wiped off what little perspiration there was. Leo, one of the few still standing, approached.
"Yo, you two. Already ran 10 kilometers?" Leo asked.
"With magic-enhanced high-speed movement through the forest, we ended up covering 200 kilometers before noticing," Yugen said.
"We rushed back when we realized, but… aren't they exhausted?" Toya added, eyeing the collapsed students.
Leo, Minami, and the resting girls had followed the standard training menu, but the gap between them, Minami (a Yotsuba Guardian), and Leo (now a Course 1 student) was stark. The club accepted Leo's unchanged attitude with a "That's just Leo" shrug.
As Toya cast a pitying glance, Tatsuya appeared in field training gear.
"Oh, Tatsuya. Skipped out early to come here again?" Yugen asked.
"Yeah. It's rare to see you here, though," Tatsuya replied.
"Well, it's sort of… about my sister," Yugen said.
Tatsuya's administrative prowess overwhelmed the student council, but relying on him too much risked stunting others' growth. Azusa and Isori feared this, especially since Kanon's temperament left most disciplinary committee work to Mikihiko. By limiting Tatsuya's tasks and encouraging "early leave," he gained free time. Izumi initially objected but relented after explanations, as did Riri via Katsuto. Ceria needed no convincing.
Yugen, though part of the light athletics club to teach Shinkage-ryu to Miyuki, often visited other clubs as an executive committee member. The mountaineering club, frequented by Mika, dubbed him an "honorary member." Tatsuya, who adjusted their CADs, earned the same title.
From the forest's depths, Kenshiro Agata, the mountaineering club captain, emerged.
"Kagurazaka and Rokuzuka, you're back. And Shiba's here too," Kenshiro said.
"Thank you, Captain Agata," Tatsuya replied.
"Take it easy. And whip these guys into shape," Kenshiro said.
Many twitched at his words, but none could flee, drained from Yugen and Toya's earlier training.
"Looks like Yugen and Toya already worked them hard," Tatsuya observed.
"Just a warm-up, from what I see. Collapsing after a 10-kilometer forest run? Pathetic! Look at Saijo—he ran the same and is fine!" Kenshiro barked.
"Captain, don't compare us to Leo," a second-year protested, nodding in agreement but struggling to rise. The first-years remained sprawled.
Kenshiro called Minami, who grabbed a nearby kettle and mercilessly doused the first-years with hot water.
"Whoa… that's intense," Yugen said.
"Intense? You've been through this?" Toya asked.
"In Shinkage-ryu, it's supercooled water instead. I managed to dodge it, though," Yugen replied.
Buckets of painfully cold water, risking frostbite, were used in Ueyama training, but their healing magic mitigated issues. Yugen had escaped unscathed. The hot water here, about 45 degrees, was kinder—cold water was avoided since some found it soothing enough to sleep.
As Leo and Tatsuya headed off to train, Yugen watched the recovering members. Toya spoke up.
"Didn't expect Sakurai to join the mountaineering club," he said.
"Yeah, surprising," Yugen agreed.
Unlike Yugen and Tatsuya, Minami was an official member, also in the cooking club to sync her schedule with Miyuki's. Half her reason was self-improvement, with Yugen as her goal.
"She seems to look up to me, but I hesitate to put her through that spartan hell," Yugen said.
Guardians trained to kill, facing near-zero killing intent and irrational violence. Yugen deemed it too harsh for Minami.
As an aside, with Miyuki's help, Yugen had applied Reinforce Domain to Minami, as he had with Honami, improving her lifespan, magical capacity, and physical balance (with Maya Yotsuba's permission). This experience proved invaluable.
A side effect—perhaps—was Minami's physique developing to nearly rival Miyuki's, likely a bodily adjustment to balance her enhanced spirit and psion body. This earned Yugen a withering stare from Miyuki.
To appease her, Yugen indulged her requests: bathing together, sleeping together—things not too different from recent Shiba household norms. Add in being unclothed, and the implications were clear. Still, he convinced her to hold the line at that final boundary.
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