Chapter 3
Saturday, August 11th. The seventh day of the Tournament of nine schools, the third day of the division of beginners. Today will be the first day of the Monolith Code of guys and the Illusory Stars of girls. Finally, it was Fumia and Ayako's turn.
In the morning they came to the tent at the same time. Having met glances, they saw in each other a flaming fighting spirit.
- Fumiya, finally, our performance. - The first spoke Ayako.
- Everything will be all right with me. Today's opponents are a small fish. Favorite - The first school, and with it we play tomorrow. - With a fearless smile, Fumia answered to inspire her sister. “Nee-san, make no mistakes either.”
“I'm fine, too.” Ayako answered with self-confidence, not doubting her victory at all. - In fact, I would like to fight with the “Saegus twins”, about which there are rumors.
- But in the division of beginners it is impossible to participate in two competitions ...
Fumiya smiled tightly at Ayako's apparent fearlessness.
- One participates in the Rower and the arrow, and the other - in the Destruction of the ice pillars ... I thought that at least one of them will go to the Illusory Stars.
It seems that the phrase “would like to fight” was said seriously, and Ayako seriously regretted it.
“You really wanted to compete with a wizard from the Saegus family?”
Fumiy asked with a subtext "is this really your reason?"
But, as expected, the reason was different.
- Uh? No. If you defeat the famous "Saegus twins", then this will attract more attention, right?
Ayako replied, implying that this would be the best option for executing the order of the head of the family.
- Firstly, my victory has already been decided, because among the existing rivals, no one can compete with me.
Naturally, it was a kind of joke. From the experience of the missions, Ayako knew well that victory or defeat is not decided by force alone.
- Right.
However, Fumiya, who, equally like Ayako, should have known this well, seriously nodded at her words.
Ayako was surprised at this fact.
- Hey Fumiya, that was a joke ...
- Maybe they realized that in the Illusory Stars they are not rivals to you, nee-san, and decided not to participate in this competition?
Fumiya and Ayako began to speak at the same time. However, Fumiya had more words in his speech, and she blocked Ayako's speech and silenced her.
- Are you serious?
Fumiya nodded in response to Ayako's curious question.
- Seriously. Think for yourself, not to put aces on the Fancy Stars - this is strange. In addition, in many other competitions there is a doubles category, and in the Illusory Stars - only a single.
The first place in the doubles competition gives 60 points (30 of them go to the official classification).
The first place in the Illusory Stars gives 50 points (25 in the official classification).
In terms of efficiency, it would be better to take 50 points with one person than 60 with two.
Ayako thought that this was too simplistic a calculation, but did not joke about this, because she was worried about the subsequent words of Fumiya.
“Surely this is the work of Tatsui-niisan.” He decided that the Saegus sisters would not be able to win against Nee-san and sent them to other competitions.
- D-think?
Fumiya was carried away by reasoning, and did not notice that Ayako gripped an uncharacteristic excitement.
- If it was possible to use the magic of flight, then this would be a different matter, but this year the flight time was limited. Tatsuya-niisan should have easily guessed that a weakened version of Teleportation would make it possible to reach targets much faster than regular "jumps." With it, you will bypass other players absolutely legally. After all, we also came to this conclusion.
“Well, it is.”
Ayako completely agreed with this opinion. She believed that when it comes to unusual methods of organizing and using magic, Tatsui's intelligence is the best in Japan, and one of the best in the whole world. And Fumiya, by the way, was sure that he was generally the best in the whole world.
“Tatsuya-niisan knows about Teleporting Nee-san.” Of course, he understands that the wizards of his team will not win the Illusory Stars, so he will prudently send his aces to other competitions, where they will be guaranteed first place.
- Clear.
For Ayako, agreeing with this was a bit of narcissism, but in the end she came to the conclusion that this was reasonable.
“Well, then today we have to live up to Tatsui-san’s expectations.”
- Right. To prove that Tatsuya-niisan is right, we will win with an overwhelming advantage.
◊ ◊ ◊
Was Fumiya's inspiration the reason for this or not, but ...
Ayako won the qualifying round of the Illusory Stars with a huge, overwhelming margin. In the same qualifying group was an ace first-grader from the Third School, who at the end of the match fell to her knees and cried in frustration, realizing her crushing defeat.
Then, at 7 o’clock in the evening, the final round of the Illusory Stars of the beginners' division began.
Causing raging whirlwinds, Ayako soared skyward toward the balls of light. It was like a meteor fall scene in which the sky and earth were swapped.
Looking at Ayako’s speech, Tatsuya muttered “there's nothing to be done.” And the two girls, who once became the objects of discussion, were now in the audience places where they came to support classmates.
“... Izumi, what do you think of this?”
“I'm sorry to report, but I could not win ... And you, Kasumi-chan?” Do you see any option?
Kasumi shook her head in frustration.
“I'm sorry ... but I also don’t see how to win.” In addition, we look from the outside, from the audience places, and on the field during the match I would not know what to do at all.
Hearing Kasumi's answer, Izumi opened her eyes wide. She did not think that her twin sister, who does not like to lose, without real battle, admits that "she cannot win."
During this brief conversation, Ayako continued to earn points one by one.
A participant from the First school changed her strategy: in order to get points, she began to aim at light balls located in the other direction from Ayako's jump. Ayako she could not catch up, but so she reliably entrenched in second place.
Kasumi thought that she herself couldn’t play the game so calmly, and admired the prudent decision of the staff of her school that she should not be placed on the Illusory Stars. ... However, she soon remembered that this “staff” was Tatsuya, which made her mood worse, and she made a displeased face.
“Kasumi-chan, do you dislike something?” - Asked Izumi, quickly noticing the change in the mood of her sister.
Kasumi was confused for a moment, thinking whether to answer or not, but in the end she answered honestly.
- I wonder if that guy knew that everything would be so ...?
No, such a manner of speech did not really reach the level of an honest answer.
“Kasumi-chan, don't call Shibu-senpai“ that guy . ”
Izumi saw through such an evasion from the answer.
“But you may be right, Kasumi-chan.” I can assume that this is a strategy according to which it is better to earn points in other competitions, taking into account the fact that we can not defeat this girl.
At that moment, Izumi assumed a thoughtful look.
- Izumi?
- ...If it is true...
- If it is true?
“If so, then I don’t understand how Shiba-senpai found out about the abilities of that girl.”
- ... Maybe I met by chance earlier?
Kasumi's answer at first glance seemed simple and thoughtless, but in fact was the most likely answer.
- I think that this is not so. Because Shiba-senpai met her at a banquet in honor of the start of the Tournament.
Izumi refuted this conjecture with a fact that she saw with her own eyes.
- Heh, that's it.
“... Kasumi-chan, you'd better worry about why Senpai did this.” I do not mean anything terrible, like the fact that today's ally will become the enemy tomorrow. I say that by observing the successes and failures of other people, you can pave your way to success by avoiding dangerous places.
- Ah, yes, yes, again your moralizing. But I understood about the path to success and dangerous places.
- Oh you...
- But still. If this was not accidental, then how did Shiba-senpai know this?
Izumi grabbed her head, and Kasumi asked this question, changing the topic to the original one.
Meanwhile, the score gap between Ayako and the First School player continued to widen.
Izumi dropped her hands from her head and looked at Kasumi.
“Perhaps it's because of those rumors.”
- Rumors?
Kasumi showed “I don’t understand,” in all appearance, but Izumi did not answer directly, but gave a hint.
- What is the name of this member from the Fourth School?
- Uh? Kuroba Ayako, kind of? Ah, Kuroba !?
At that moment, the beep of the end of the first period sounded. The podium was quite noisy, and Izumi whispered so that only Kasumi could hear.
- Yes, I'm talking about this rumor.
- There is a family with the surname Kuroba in the Yotsub family tree ...
“Perhaps Shiba-senpai from somewhere was able to get a list of participants in the Fourth School novice division.”
- Uhhh ... there smells something illegal.
- ... If we connect with our current conversation, then this is precisely the impression that develops.
Izumi looked at Kasumi in amazement, and she looked embarrassedly away.
Izumi sighed and spoke again in a whisper.
- This girl uses not a simple "Jump". Apparently, this magic is "Pseudo-teleportation", from which the process of creating a vacuum tube was removed.
- In order not to break the rules?
- Yes. "Pseudo-teleportation" is prohibited by the rules of the Illusory Stars, because the vacuum tube that appears in the air before the user moves will interfere with the movement of other players. And gusts of wind arising from the movement of players are not limited by the rules.
- Heh, that's it.
Izumi felt a headache when she saw Kasumi nodding in such a way that it all came to her just now. Izumi was very sensitive in understanding magic, and she herself was also aware of this. But even such an Izumi now seemed that Kasumi was too frivolous.
- ... Probably, this girl is good at pseudo-teleportation magic. I don’t think that we will lose to this girl in Rower and Shooter or in Destruction of the Pillars of Ice, but, of course, her magical power is at least comparable to the magical power of us members of the Ten Main Clans.
Kasumi made a serious face.
- Magical power comparable to the power of the wizards of the Saegus family of the Ten Main Clans. All clear. I feel that the guess that this girl is a relative of the Yotsub family makes sense.
- Really ...
At this moment, a beep sounded, announcing the beginning of the second period.
Kasumi's attention was captured by the field for the game, and she did not ask for the meaning of Izumi's mumble.
Izumi, on the contrary, was completely unable to concentrate on the game. She was tormented by thoughts that were completely irrelevant to the match.
"The owner of magical powers comparable to the Ten Main Clans is very likely to belong to the same Ten Main Clans ..."
"Then what about Miyuki-onesama?"
"The strength of Miyuki-onesama is clearly higher than ours"
"The owner of magical power greater than that of the wizards of the Saegus family can only be ... from the Yotsub family"
"No ... this cannot be. For Miyuki-onesama to be a sorceress from that Yotsuba ..."
Izumi firmly decided to drop suspicions growing in her thoughts.
- AND...!?
At that moment, Kasumi suddenly cried out.
- Chia-ah !?
Izumi was lost in thought and reacted to this cry so violently.
- Wow !? Izumi, what's wrong with you? “Kasumi was very surprised at Izumi's reaction.
- N-no, nothing.
This was not an attempt to evade the answer. Just now, Izumi, whose thoughts were interrupted, could not remember what she was thinking. ... Perhaps her decision to discard and forget that thought became the key to blocking her memory.
“No, better you, Kasumi-chan, tell me what’s wrong with you?”
- Oh yes. I noticed one ominous omen.
- An ominous omen?
Izumi bowed her head inquiringly. Kasumi answered her with regret on her face, and with the thought "I wish I hadn't noticed."
- The Fourth School, after all, has another first-year participant with the surname Kuroba. He performed today in the Monolith Code of the Novice Division.
Hearing what Kasumi had said, Izumi opened her mouth as if shouting a surprised “A !?”
- If that guy is also connected with Yotsuba ...
- Tomorrow at the Monolith Code we will also be in trouble ...
They exchanged glances, after which they simultaneously slowly turned their eyes on what was happening on the playing field.
They tried not to think about tomorrow anymore.
◊ ◊ ◊
Sunday, August 12th. The eighth day of the Tournament of nine schools, the fourth day of the division of beginners.
Despite the prayers (?) Of Kasumi and Izumi, the Monolith Code of the novice division passed with predicted troubles.
At the end of the eighth round (third round of the second day), the First and Fourth schools shared the first position, having 6 wins and 0 losses. They were followed by the Third School with five victories and one defeat. Everyone, including students and fans of the Fourth School, were surprised by the successful performance of the Fourth School, which usually takes the last places in the overall standings every year.
In fact, the eighth round match between the First and Third schools was considered by all as a match for a victory in this discipline. After the corresponding fierce confrontation, the First School team joyfully raised their hands and exclaimed: “This is a victory!”, However, before the match of the ninth round against the Fourth school they were very tense.
- We leave the construction as it was.
Said team captain Shippo Takuma at the pre-match meeting and looked in turn at the faces of his teammates.
- Yes.
- I also think that this will be correct.
There were no objections from his teammates, Senkawa and Kaziwara. They both looked at Takuma with a gaze.
This trust was due to the successful activity of Takuma in this newcomer division. On this Monolith Code, he remained in defense next to the monolith of his team and repelled absolutely all attacks. Moreover, at the same time, he knocked out all the attacking opponents. Thanks to this, among the guys from the first year of training, it was believed that they are a cut above the current team of the Third School. In the eighth round match, two of their attackers were eliminated from the game, taking with them one opponent of the opponent. Takuma was at a disadvantage, one against two players of the Third School, and wrested a victory with a fight.
In this series of six consecutive wins, he was undoubtedly the most valuable player.
Although it was about Takuma among the classmates that there were bad rumors immediately after entering school, but he changed a lot after some events of one day at the end of April.
His self-doubt remained the same as it was, he just stopped showing it off.
Although he took on the role of leader, his complacency now hid in the shadows and only watched.
He remained simple, emotional in nature, but he tended to humbly apologize and work on himself if they pointed out a mistake.
He made it clear to everyone around him that he was trying to “change” and “grow”, which earned the sympathy and trust of classmates.
With such a backstory, it is natural that Takuma took responsibility for organizing a team of all nine representatives of the First School from the first year of study.
- As for the Fourth School team, in my analysis it is a typical single player team.
The two teammates nodded to Takume.
- The attacker’s name is Kuroba Fumiya. He is a problem. It hurts me to talk about it, but even if I come across him face to face, it will be difficult to win.
- Shippo-kun !?
- What kind of opponent is he, since you say such things about him ...
“It's annoying to say, but those rumors may suddenly turn out to be true.”
This rumor surfaced in the minds of Takuma and the others about the connection between Yotsuba and Kuroba.
Takuma pushed this thought out of his mind and continued to explain the strategy.
- I'm not saying that you are weak, but, unfortunately, the Kuroba player will be too tough for you.
The teammates shook their heads after Takuma's words.
“I think your analysis is correct.” It is foolish to think otherwise.
- Indeed, I most likely will not stand a minute.
Seeing his partner hang his head in frustration, Takuma also gritted his teeth in frustration.
- ... I'm sorry.
“Shippo, you have nothing to apologize for.” So, what is next?
- Yes ... In general, therefore, avoid battles with him. You can freely let him go straight to me.
- Let him get closer to our monolith?
Takuma nodded at this question asked in alarm.
- The fourth school won all of its matches by knocking out all the members of the opposing team. This is obvious, because defenders interfere with entering code from the monolith. Undoubtedly, the Kuroba player will first try to knock me out.
Senkawa and Kajiwara had no objection to Takuma's suggestion.
- I will gain time by becoming an opponent to the player Kurobe. And you at this time capture the enemy monolith. If the Kuroba player is not around, then two against two you should not lose.
- ... And what if the Kuroba player, not paying attention to the monolith, attacks each of us individually?
- If you find that the Kuroba player is approaching you, then by any means back down, trying to return to me. As soon as I enter the battle with the player Kuroba, immediately turn around and follow in the direction of the enemy monolith.
- Got it.
- Accepted.
Takuma glanced around his teammates again.
- Although the final match in the tenth round still remains, it is in the current match that the overall victory in the Monolith Code is decided. We will definitely win!
- Yes!
Takuma and the others issued a battle cry and advanced towards the playing field with rocky terrain.
It was like a gust of storm.
At the same time as a signal for the start of the match, a small human silhouette jumped out of the camp of the Fourth School. He deftly ran between the white rock blocks, going around them one by one, and quickly reached the First School camp.
Players of the first school have not yet noticed him. The first contact was a complete surprise for them.
- Gh ...!
- Senkawa !?
Seeing how a sudden enemy attack coming from the shadow of a stone boulder knocked out his teammate, Takuma shouted his name in surprise.
But it was too late.
The attacking player of the First School team was instantly knocked out by the attacking player of the Fourth School - Fumiya.
"What was that now !? Phantom strike !?"
Takuma could not contain his shock from such a rapid course of events.
As far as Takuma knew, Phantom Strike is magic that robs the enemy of the ability to fight, causing him the illusion of pain. Slowly but surely causing damage, this spell creates an advantage and can be a decisive factor in the battle. This magic should not be so powerful as to be able to incapacitate the enemy with the first blow.
"Besides, it is completely incomprehensible how he approached !?"
Although this is a rocky area, but the boulders are not scattered so densely as to block the view. There is enough distance between the stones to see that someone ran out of the enemy camp and ran here.
Moreover, if the approach took place at such a speed, then this means that not only the physical abilities of the body were used, but also the magic applied to oneself.
- K-Kajiwara, come back!
He was confused for only a moment. Takuma ordered the forward teammate to return to team up.
However, at that moment, rain of small stones fell on the ground between Takuma and his partner.
- What the...!?
Takuma's mate instinctively stopped.
Fumia approached him from the back.
- Run away!
This Takuma team was inappropriate.
A player with the surname Kajiwara, who had Fumiya behind him, and who was ordered to run away, jumped right in the rain from stones that had not yet ended.
Small stones did not pose a special threat. Of course, damage from hits cannot be avoided, but you can protect yourself with an anti-object barrier. Kajiwara's player was capable of this.
The only thing that was bad was that his back was defenseless before Fumiya. It was the same as saying "please shoot me."
Suddenly, the stone rain stopped.
The next moment, the player, Kajiwara was attacked by an illusory pain.
Feeling as though stabbing damage had been inflicted on his legs many times, Kajiwara staggered and fell on his back.
Looking around, he found that he had no opportunity to defend himself or counterattack.
A small human silhouette approached him.
At least, this is how Fumiyu was recognized by Kajiwara, who tried to activate counterattack magic by Fumiya.
At that moment a direct, sharp pain overtook him.
Kajiwara’s mind, unable to bear this pain, broke off as if it had clicked a switch.
Takuma unknowingly burst out “sorry to look at it!” When he saw this outcome.
Takuma’s analysis that the Fourth School had a single player team, Fumii, was absolutely correct, but he was mistaken in some ways.
The magic in which students of the Fourth School are strong is complex complex spells that have many processes.
For example, such magic that crumbles boulders onto small stones, launches them in flight, and rains down a remote enemy camp from a long distance.
“The Fourth School team’s direct combat skills are low, but it turns out they have the right magic for covering fire!”
Takuma did not have time for further regrets.
Fumia approached the distance from which he was guaranteed to be able to get magic.
The first move was for Takuma. He created 16 air bullets in front of him, and, using group control, shot them, setting only the direction, not setting a specific target for guidance.
And the direction of movement of these air bullets was set not at one point, but at different points: to the head, chest, arms and legs. Fumiya did not defend himself with the barrier, but dodged them with light leaps.
The next attack, instead of air bullets, Takuma launched a line of flat air disks into Fumiya.
Fumiya was standing at that moment on a stone block. He saw this attack, and not for a moment hesitating, jumped to the side, dodging this peculiar "air attack link". While still in a jump, he aimed a specialized CAD in the form of a pistol at Takuma and pulled the trigger.
Takumu was in pain as if his right arm had been cut. Unwilling to show weakness, he suppressed the urge to cry out in pain, but in the end loosened his finger, which was controlled by CAD in the form of a bracelet worn on his left hand.
Fumiya jumped again from one boulder to another.
Takuma felt such pain as if a drill had pierced his right thigh.
Gritting his teeth in order to survive this pain, he brought down Fumia a downward stream of air, compressed to a narrow vortex.
Fumiya escaped Takuma's attack by jumping diagonally forward.
Common sense, claiming that you can’t change the direction of motion while in the air, is not applicable to wizards. This movement of Fumiya’s evasion did not surprise Takum either.
“Is he, Usivakamaru * or something !?”, Takuma thought at that moment.
[Real name (given at birth) of the famous 12th century Japanese commander, Minamoto-no Yoshitsune]
"... Then I am Bankei from the Gojo Bridge?"
Takuma immediately dropped the thought.
“The battle between Bankey and Usivakamaru ended in defeat for Bankey. With such thoughts, you will only set yourself up for defeat,” he warned himself.
Takuma's body was again in pain. It was a ghostly, phantom pain without any wounds. He also had a psionic barrier deployed, so in theory, he should have been prepared for a meeting with unsystematic magic, but the damage gradually accumulated.
"Is the power of the original Phantom strike so high?" , Thought Takuma, while he was getting worse and worse.
He was left alone, and the enemy still has three people. He decided not to give up until he ran out of strength.
Takuma fired another volley of air bullets to temporarily hold back Fumiya, and prepare another, but now serious attack.
The body encouraged him to scream in pain from attacks coming one after another, but he ignored all this, answering his body that these were hallucinations.
Small stones were scattered on the ground right in front of him, flying here in the form of an attack from the camp of the Fourth School.
One by one, he copied in them sequences of magic.
These were the magic seals necessary to convey the magic of Takuma's herd control.
- Get it! - At the same time as Takuma's scream, a much sharper pain pierced his stomach than before.
"... Stone shower ..."
Mentally shouting the name of magic, Takuma activated the herd control magic.
Many stones lying in front of Takuma soared into the air.
Noise rose in the audience.
Was it due to the fact that many stones fell in the rain on the boulder on which Fumiya stood?
Or is it because Takuma collapsed onto his back like a fallen tree?
"Direct pain."
The magic that Fumiya shot in the next dodging jump was not a non-systemic magic, which with the help of a psionic shock wave affects a psionic body that accompanies a physical body, and thereby causes the illusion that the body was hit, cut or pierced. It was external systemic magic that caused pain right in the mind.
With this unique magic, Takuma was finally knocked out.
The beep of the end of the match sounded.
Fumiya raised his right hand, and the spectator stands exploded with shouts and applause.
The match of the ninth round of the Monolith Code of the beginner’s division between the First and Fourth schools ended with the victory of the Fourth School.
◊ ◊ ◊
The Fourth School team also won the next match of the tenth round against the Third School, and thus won first place in the Monolith Code of the beginners' division.
For the Fourth School, considered a regular outsider, winning the Monolith Code was a great achievement, despite the fact that it was only a division of newcomers.
The name of Kuroba Fumiya, who became a prominent figure in these battles, as well as the name of Kuroba Ayako, who won first place on the Illusory Stars with an overwhelming advantage and record score, were deeply imprinted in the memory of the audience, representatives of all schools, as well as the personnel of the Tournament of nine schools.
(Mission completed)
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