After pasta lunch, Tatsuya and Hibiki strolled arm-in-arm. Steps from the shop, they halted.
"You humiliated me back there."
"...Need me to repeat? Leave."
His steely gaze—unyielding warning—drove the man behind his bodyguard.
"(Street thug?)"
"(Likely. Company-hired yakuza.)"
Veterans like them judged instantly, eyes piercing strength.
"That guy—I saw him on some Nine High broadcast. Magician pretending to be human!"
"Really? Lying to save face? If you'd seen Tatsuya-kun, you wouldn't approach me. You asked your thug, right?"
"Hibiki-san, don't provoke—trouble."
"But treating magicians as non-human? No mercy needed."
"Sigh... Fine."
He stepped forward, eyeing the thug—fit but inferior to a battalion lieutenant. Tatsuya smirked at the mediocrity.
"What're you laughing at!"
"Nothing... Just, for protection, pick better muscle. Or can't afford it?"
Provoking both, Tatsuya knew Hibiki's ideals—bridging human-magician divides. Her anger was justified; he might feel it too, if emotions stirred. But hypotheticals bored him.
"Act tough all you want. Can't use magic in public!"
"(Swallowing urban myths... Though I can't for 'other reasons.')"
Magicians avoided urban spells due to restrictions, not bans—self-defense allowed. The man bought the rumor wholesale.
"(Tatsuya-kun, using magic here, in public...?)"
"(Fine. Bare hands suffice.)"
"(Battalion drills?)"
"(No—Yakumo-sensei. Easier than his disciples.)"
Yakumo's pupils were tough; Tatsuya bested them young. Four lesser thugs? No contest.
"Please leave. Or not?"
Advancing, they retreated two steps. Thugs weren't myth-believers but smart enough to sense danger.
"Do it! A magic-less magician's nothing!"
They hesitated, wary of spells. Tatsuya advanced, hands up, swaying—no surrender, but "no CAD, no magic needed" taunt.
Knowing CADs triggered spells, they took the bait. Hidden knives out, flanking attack. Even low-tier thugs coordinated now, Tatsuya noted detachedly.
"Eek!"
A young woman's scream—not Hibiki's. She watched calmly, trusting his skill. True to it, four precise strikes to vitals floored them.
"What was that...? Magic!?"
"Told you—hire better. No magic needed."
Fist aimed at the man now, gaze pure killing intent—worse than the restaurant. He collapsed, trembling.
"Lesson: Magicians can use urban magic. We avoid hassle, but emergencies? Mine could erase you utterly."
Bluffable on non-magicians; he couldn't judge its normalcy.
"Hii!"
Crawling away, police arrived—bystander report. They cuffed the fleeing man and downed thugs, ignoring his pleas.
"We'll need your statements. OK?"
"Yes. I caused the disturbance."
Involved or not, he owned it—cooperated fully.
"So..."
"Yes?"
Two female officers fidgeted. Tatsuya tilted his head curiously; Hibiki frowned, slightly irked—today, she wanted his eyes on her.
"You're Shiba Tatsuya from First High, right?"
"Yes."
"We're alumni. Saw you at the Nine Schools."
"Sigh..."
"Autograph? Photo too?"
Local jurisdiction explained First High grads, but here? Tatsuya inwardly sighed. No long hold, but more alumni swarmed for pics. He noted Hibiki's bored solitude.
(Sleep-deprived posts? Bad idea...)
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