Chapter 6
Sunday, June 16, evening.
When Miyuki, who came to visit Minami, was about to leave, another visitor arrived at Minami’s room.
"Yes, who’s there?"
Miyuki replied to the knock on the door, and, after letting go of Minami’s hand, got up from a chair and headed towards the door.
"It's Kudou Minoru."
"Minoru-kun?"
Miyuki stopped halfway and looked back at Minami. She nodded with an embarrassed face. Miyuki’s lips unwittingly lifted in a smile.
"Yes, I'll open it now."
Miyuki opened the door to the room.
Miyuki and Minoru were facing each other and were separated by about an arm's length.
Was it lucky or unlucky that no one was here to witness this spectacle?
A girl with heavenly beauty and a guy clad in an inhuman-like beauty.
Some artist might have sold his soul to the devil to be able to capture this moment on canvas.
Some poet might have committed suicide because they were unable to find the words to describe this spectacle.
"Minoru-kun, welcome. You came to visit Minami-chan?"
"Yes. Uhm, can I come in?"
But for these two, this was just an episode of their ordinary everyday life.
"Here you go."
Miyuki did not lead Minoru in, but she stepped aside, making way for him.
Minoru held a floral bouquet composed of pale pink roses, gerbera of the same color and orange carnations. Miyuki thought that it would be better for him to hand it over directly to Minami.
As expected, when Minoru passed her the flowers, his cheeks reddened, and he slightly diverted his eyes from Minami. Minami, who received the flowers, completely reddened and bashfully lowered her eyes.
Miyuki would have liked to watch this scene a little longer, but changed her mind, deciding that it would have been too much.
"Minoru-kun, thank you. Minami-chan, where should I put them?"
Minoru and Minami simultaneously shuddered all over their bodies.
Miyuki struggled to keep herself from laughing.
"Ah, uh, then, over there..."
Miyuki took the bouquet from Minami and put it on her bedside table, were she pointed.
"Uh, is Tatsuya-san here...?"
Minoru suddenly changed the subject, as if he could no longer endure this awkward atmosphere.
"Oh Minoru-kun, did you want to discuss something with Tatsuya?"
Miyuki asked immediately. Did she do this because she felt sorry for Minoru, or because Tatsuya was mentioned?
Probably both.
"He went to visit the doctor some time ago, so I think he should be back shortly. You got something urgent?"
"No, it's not urgent, I just wanted to discuss something."
"Discuss with me?" There was a voice coming from the hallway, on the other side of the door that was left open.
"Tatsuya-sama! Have you finished talking to the doctor?"
"Yes. I heard everything I needed to hear."
Answering Miyuki’s question, Tatsuya entered the room and closed the door. ...Miyuki had not closed the door, not because she had forgotten to do so, but because she thought that it would be weird to have a locked room with a guy and two girls in it.
"So, Minoru."
Tatsuya spoke, but he interrupted himself and he frowned his eyebrows when his gaze met the gaze of Minoru. It seems to have been an unconscious act, and he quickly returned to his usual face, and continued to talk:
"What did you want to talk to me about?"
Because Minoru was asked a suggestive question, he didn’t speak immediately. No, he just couldn't talk right away.
"...About the condition of Minami-san." After some time, he said this with great difficulty.
"Understood. Let's go some place else."
"Please wait!"
Tatsuya was right to be suspicious of Minoru’s behavior, but it was Minami who objected to this decision.
"Tatsuya-sama, Minoru-sama. If it's about my condition, let me hear about it too."
"But..."
Minoru wanted to object to the request of Minami.
"Please! I really want to know!"
"...All right, Minami-san."
But in the end, he abided to her wish.
"Then, should I go out?"
"No."
Miyuki stood up and turned to Tatsuya, but this answer was given by Minoru and Minami at the same time.
Minoru and Minami exchanged views, urging each other to continue.
"...I think it'll be good if Miyuki-san hears it, too."
In the end Minoru continued, and Minami nodded silently.
During this dialogue, Tatsuya grabbed some chairs for both himself and Minoru from the corner of the room.
"First, let's sit down."
With a thankful expression on his face, Minoru sat down on the chair provided by Tatsuya.
Miyuki returned to her seat at the side of the bed, on which she sat before the arrival of Minoru. Tatsuya sat down beside her, and Minoru on the chair at the other end of the bed.
Minoru who was facing Tatsuya, Miyuki and Minami opened his mouth with a hesitant look.
"...I don't know what the doctor has told you, but Minami-san’s 'injury'
cannot be completely cured."
It seems that Minoru spoke openly and did not try to conceal anything, because he had no time to spare.
It was Miyuki who seemed to be the most shocked by his words. She covered her mouth with her hands, opened her eyes wide and was frozen in this state.
Minami, at least, did not look shocked when she heard Minoru’s words.
And Tatsuya...
"...Tatsuya-san knew this, didn't he?"
He was looking back at Minoru with calm eyes.
"No, it’s not that I don't understand, but I disagree with the opinion that a full recovery is impossible. Apparently, what Minoru thinks is a 'full recovery' and my definition of a 'full recovery' seem to differ. Is Minoru saying that Minami's Magic Calculation Area will never be restored completely?"
"Tatsuya-san’s way of thinking is that as long as the symptoms don’t worsen then she can fully recover, right?"
"That's not true either. But arguing about the small differences in our definitions will not fix anything. What is the real problem you want to solve, Minoru?"
"...The physical body of a modified person lacks vital stability."
"The problem of sudden death?"
"Yes, that's right. Despite the absence of any medical anomalies, one day death may suddenly come, like a sudden wind blowing out the weak flame of a candle."
Tatsuya noticed that Minoru’s expression became sombre.
"...This is the fate that Minami-san has to carry... And so do I."
"..."
"How do you know Minami has a modified body?"
Miyuki murmured.
Minami kept staring at Minoru.
"Damage to the Magic Calculation Area increases the risk of sudden death. Minoru, is that what you mean?"
"Yes. Tatsuya-san, you know about this too, right?"
"I've been investigating the sudden death of modified people for a long time. Ever since I let a person who was like family to me die from this."
"Is that so..."
Minoru could not decide whether to say some words of condolences, but gave up on this idea, because he realized that without knowing the circumstances, he would not be able to express the true feelings in his heart.
"The overheating of the Magic Calculation Area shook and damaged the Information Body accompanying the physical body. The damage to the Information Body has been shown to also express itself physically.
Usually the activity of the Magic Calculation Area limits itself so that it would not harm itself, however for modified people this 'Limiter'
malfunctions. ... This is my hypothesis, but I think it is the appropriate way to describe it."
"I also think that this theory is correct. And I also think that the overheating of the Magical Calculation Area is always accompanied by damage to this 'Limiter'."
"Do you mean that the damage to the limiter causes the overheating?"
"Whether the overheating is caused by this 'Limiter' damage or the overheating damages the 'Limiter', I do not know."
Contrary to his words, Minoru’s face didn’t show a lack of confidence but instead showed a reliable expression.
"However, what the cause is and what the consequences are does not matter at the moment." Minoru said this without taking his eyes off Tatsuya.
"The limiter is damaged. That's what's important right now. For now this is the problem at hand and thus the heart of the matter. Isn't that so?"
"Sure, it is."
Tatsuya fully confirms Minoru’s assertion.
"Minoru, are you worried that Minami’s Magic Calculation Area will suddenly start acting abnormally, which could then cause serious damage?"
"Right."
Minoru nodded towards Tatsuya.
"Minami-san’s current condition increases the likelihood that the tragedy that accompanies modified people will become a reality. That's my opinion."
"But didn't you tell me there was no way to restore the Magic Calculation Area? Or is there something other than the limiter?"
Minoru did not answer.
"...Minoru. Do you have another solution?"
Tatsuya continued to ask. Minoru averted his eyes to escape from the sight of Tatsuya.
"...Yes."
Even with that short answer couldn’t meet Tatsuya’s gaze.
"And!? What is it!?"
"..."
"Minoru."
Tatsuya got up from his chair and stepped sideways. Not away from the bed, but closer to it.
He stood up to have Miyuki and Minami closer to him.
"What have you become?"
Minoru raised his previously omitted look. He looked at Tatsuya, and the edges of his lips rose.
Tatsuya remembered that smile. It was very similar tot the grin of Zhou Gongjin, which he saw in Kyoto.
"...You can see that?"
Miyuki stood up abruptly. She remembered this strange ghostly aura, these floating Psion waves emanating from the body of Minoru.
"A parasite!? No way..."
Minami stared at the back of Tatsuya, forgetting to blink. In fact, her gaze was glued to Minoru, but Tatsuya’s body closed that line of sight.
"Please, don't worry."
Minoru rose and smiled at Tatsuya and Miyuki. This smile no longer contained any semblance to Zhou Gongjin.
"I am a man from the Kudou family who created the Parasite Dolls.
In the Kudou family, I am the second strongest magician after Grandpa. I know the ways to manage the parasites."
"I disagree."
Tatsuya denied Minoru’s words. Not realizing the meaning behind this, Minoru questioned Tatsuya with his gaze.
"You're not the 'number two'. You're the number one among the Kudou family. And the best among the magicians with 'Nine' in their surname."
Without a smile, with a serious face and a serious voice Tatsuya answered.
"...That makes me happy." Minoru, on the contrary, smiled sincerely.
"To be recognized by Tatsuya-san."
Even it it was a smile that could draw out the soul of their opponent, Tatsuya did not budge.
"Please, don't be so cautious."
If there was someone who lacked tension, it was Minoru. He had a bewildered face, and his eyes were running round.
"Even after becoming a 'parasite', I am still me. My 'me' was not distorted. I don't want to attack people or anything. And I am also not tormented by any other desires that I have not had before."
"However, Kudou Minoru was a man. And the current you is the parasite."
"That is... so, but..."
Minoru showed a slightly suffering expression on his face.
"Despite that, I am still me. Even now, I am Kudou Minoru. With the right knowledge and strength, you can merge with parasites and not lose yourself. I was able to prove this myself."
Filled with strong confidence, and determination on his face, Minoru turned to Tatsuya, Miyuki and Minami.
"You don't have to be afraid to become a 'parasite'."
"Minoru. You..." Tatsuya whispered in a quiet, yet clearly distinguishable voice. "...Do you want to make Minami a parasite?"
Miyuki quickly got her CAD out of her purse, and held it in her hands.
"...The parasite body has a high resistance to Psion waves."
Hesitation could be seen in Minoru’s answer. Perhaps this really was proof that Minoru had not changed.
"Merging with a parasite, you won't have to worry that the physical body will get hurt, even if the Magic Calculation Zone goes out of control. No, a 'parasite' is closer to magic than magicians, and does not have to worry that the Magic Calculation Area will go out of control at all."
"In that case, you should first ask Minami about it."
Tatsuya stood motionlessly between Minor and Minami. Their lines of sight were still being blocked
"However, I will have to selfishly impose myself here as her master."
To be more precise, her 'master' was Miyuki, but in this situation there was no need for such details. What was needed now was his reason for speaking up.
"I refuse. I will not allow Minami to become a parasite."
"Tatsuya-san!?"
Minoru was really astonished. It seems that he was fully convinced that Tatsuya would not object to his idea.
"But if you keep her in this state, Minami-san could suddenly die at any moment!"
"If it is caused by overloading the Magic Calculation Area, there is a way around it, even if she doesn't become a parasite."
"But the restoration of the Magic Calculation Area is impossible! If it was possible to restore her limiter, I wouldn’t have even made the offer!"
"When you cannot fix the 'limiter', you can seal the Magic Calculation Area from the outside, and it wont be able to go out of control."
Minoru opened his eyes widely. After shaking, and having taken two steps back, his composure finally returned.
"Tatsuya-san, are you saying that... you want to take magic away from Minami-san!?"
Minoru couldn't believe it. Taking magic from a magician. It's like stealing a magician's sense of existence.
For Minoru, whose life was based on being an excellent magician, even to suggest this was unforgivable.
"Because I want Minami to live."
"You're going to make her stop being a magician!"
"A person can still walk the path of life even if they are not a magician.
Minami could live more peacefully as an ordinary girl."
"That is your wish, not her's, Tatsuya-san! You have no right to take away the magic of Minami-san!"
"True. Indeed, my desire is to take magic away from Minami. However, Minoru, your desire will rob Minami of her 'Humanity'. Do you understand that?"
"Then let Minami-san choose! It's her life! If Minami-san refuses to become a parasite, I will retreat. Minami-san!"
Tatsuya continued to block Minami from Minoru's sight. But regardless, Minoru still shouted to Minami.
"I don't want you to die! But I don't want your magic to be taken away either! Please, become like me!"
There was severe turmoil on Minami’s face. She wasn't going to become a 'parasite'. Such a decision could not be made quickly. So in this situation she decided to rely on Tatsuya, regardless of whether she would lose her magic or not.
But Minoru’s words shook Minami’s heart strongly.
"Like I said, Minoru."
As soon as she had overcome her hesitation, Tatsuya answered with a voice as cold as steel to the words of Minoru.
"She refuses."
?
"Tatsuya-san, please, step back! Let me talk to Minami-san!"
Minoru fell into a rage, releasing Magic in the direction of Tatsuya.
It was simple Movement-Type magic. His task was to move Tatsuya, who was blocking him from talking to Minami, aside. However, no acceleration or deceleration occurred.
In an instant, this high speed aggressive magic made everything clear.
The reaction of Tatsuya was reflexive but accurate. He disassembled the magic sequence with "Gram Dispersion".
"Minoru, what were you trying to do?"
"Shut up and step aside!"
Minoru was well-founded as an outstanding magician. He cannot lose when it comes to magic skill, that is something that he is confident in and strongly feels in his heart.
When his magic was neutralized, Minoru fell into insanity. He was furious.
He never lost, except when he was unable to fight because of his absence. This reaction was a consequence of his lack of experience in losing.
For Minoru, who had to give up on everything because of his damaged body, the thought "If only I was healthy" was part of his deep conviction.
...While he is healthy, he will not lose in magic.
And in one fell swoop this thought was turned upside down.
Even if an inexperienced boy who is 17 years old loses to me this year, there was plenty of room for sympathy.
However, Minoru was not "normal". At this point he wasn’t even a man.
Tatsuya was attacked with even stronger and faster magic than before.
Tatsuya also invalidated this magic with "Gram Dispersion" again, but unlike the first time, Tatsuya saw this as an enemy attack.
Tatsuya's consciousness switched to that of a magician without mercy.
Tatsuya who disassembled the magic, instantly shortened the distance in this interval.
He pushed his right palm towards Minoru’s stomach.
It wasn't a blow. It would be better to call the force of this movement as
"gentle".
The next moment, magic was released from the hand of Tatsuya. He released "acceleration" magic at a distance close to nothing.
This magic had an impact not only on the area the palm touched, but also on Minoru’s entire body, pushing it back. It would be more accurate to say that his body flew back. And Tatsuya’s hand did not receive any recoil.
Minoru, who was about to hit the door, silently stopped right in front of it and sank down to the floor without making a sound.
Minoru executed acceleration magic on himself using the acceleration magic that Tatsuya invoked as a stepping stone, after flying from the door, he neutralized the inertia, eliminating the impact, and minimized the distance between Tatsuya and him.
"Miyuki, Maximum Zone Interference now!"
"Yes!"
Tatsuya issued these instruction before Minoru’s legs touched the floor.
Miyuki’s Zone Interference covered the hospital room at the same time Minoru touched the floor.
Looking at the direction where Minami was, Minoru unlocked the door and abruptly opened it.
When using Zone Interference, Miyuki designated the area of effect to be the "space inside the hospital room".
As soon as Tatsuya tried to close the distance between him and his opponent, Minoru went out into the hallway, outside the range of the interference magic.
The window panes that were dead-bolted broke and blew outside.
Minoru’s and Tatsuya’s eyes met for a moment, then Minoru jumped out of the window that had lost its glass.
Tatsuya definitely understood what Minoru was trying to say.
"Miyuki, stay and defend Minami."
"Onii-sama!"
"I’m accepting Minoru’s challenge."
Minoru did not escape with just the intent to flee from Miyuki’s Zone Interference.
(A battle in a hospital room would cause unnecessary destruction.) (Minami could have been injured.)
Minoru did not want this, so he invited Tatsuya outside.
If Tatsuya stayed here, Minoru would definitely withdraw. But Minoru was obsessed with Minami. Tatsuya could easily understand this during today's short conversation.
He doesn’t know if Minoru is going to come back to take Minami.
The main priority of Tatsuya was the protection of Miyuki.
Besides, he's a guy, and Minami is a girl. He couldn't be near her 24
hours a day.
The best choice was to go and catch Minoru right here and now.
Going after Minoru, Tatsuya jumped onto the hospital yard through the broken window.
This hospital room was on the fourth floor.
Although it isn’t impossible to jump down using his own physical strength, it is preferable to not show any exploitable gap immediately after landing in front of Minoru. He was a tough opponent even when he still was a man.
Tatsuya invoked a technique for inertia control from the magic library in his memory.
In other words, he activated the magic using Flash Cast.
He neutralized his inertia right at the moment of landing.
Together with the use of inertia control with his Artificial Magic Calculation Area, he also invoked the magic "Gram Dispersion", Decomposition magic from his original Magic Calculation Area. The Release-Type magic "Spark" cast by Minoru was invalidated.
"As I expected, 'Gram Dispersion'. When I saw it a while ago, I thought it was just a misunderstanding. But to be able to bring such highly difficult magic that is said to only succeed in the laboratory into an actual battle... As one would expect from a direct descendant of the Yotsuba, right?"
Minoru spoke in a suppressed tone. It seems like he had calmed down from their earlier exchange.
"You unilaterally used force for the sake of your obsession. Minoru, this is the behavior of a parasite."
Upon receiving this unexpected remark, the calm expression Minoru had again became agitated.
"You would not have acted this way back when you were a human being and you would not have shown such self-righteousness."
"This isn't self-righteousness! I am not wrong!"
Minoru strikes Tatsuya using the Release-Type system magic "Jintai Hakka".
This magic disables the magical defense of a human body and forcibly extracts electrons from molecules, constituting the cell and releasing it out of the body. It is named "Jintai Hakka" because the discharge occurring on the skin exhibits an appearance like the spontaneous ignition of human body part. But in reality, it is a terrible magic that collapses cells at the molecular level by depriving them of electrons which are used for intermolecular bonding.
Tatsuya decomposed the magic sequence for "Jintai Hakka" directed at himself that was on the verge of being activated.
Even with Tatsuya's decomposition magic speed, he was only able to stop it at the last moment.
Minoru’s original Activation Speed was already excellent, and after merging with the parasite it became even faster.
Tatsuya intended to physiologically shake Minoru up with his words, but this ended up being counterproductive.
The accuracy of his magic did not become compromised because of his emotional disturbance. Rather than him being agitated, there was an impression that his speed became even faster.
It was no longer possible to go easy on him.
Tatsuya did not want to enter into a serious confrontation with Minoru.
Because Minoru didn't have any hostile intentions when he came to the hospital room.
Tatsuya was fully aware of his lack of communication skills. However, if he can neutralize Minoru, he will not regret this decision.
Tatsuya released "Decomposition" at Minoru.
He is not using a CAD. By using a CAD, he would not be able to keep up with Minoru's speed. If the pledge seal had not been completely lifted, he wouldn’t have been able to stand up against Minoru's speed.
Minoru, who should have received Tatsuya’s Decomposition magic, vanished without leaving a trace.
Minoru's real form appeared to the right. Sensory Systematic-type magic "Parade".
Tatsuya's decomposition was aimed at a phantom created by "Parade".
Tatsuya released more magic.
At the place where the original once stood, a phantom appeared. It had overwritten the real body as to make it look like Minoru was there the entire time.
Tatsuya disassembled "Ghost Walker", a directional bearing deceiving magic.
(Minoru did not only fuse together with a parasite.) The former Ninth Laboratory had the theme of incorporating Ancient magic techniques into modern magic.
The possibility that the Ancient magic of the continent "Ghost Walker"
was studied at the former Ninth Laboratory is not zero.
However, this "Ghost Walker" was not something that he had learned just by seeing the sequence type.
Magic has its own individuality. Even if the same magic is used to produce the same effect, subtle differences will appear in the process that will be unique to different operators. The more complete the magic is, the more difficult it is to see the difference, it can be seen depending on the relative power relationship between the viewer and object.
Tatsuya's "Eyes" clearly saw the individuality of Zhou Gongjin from this "Ghost Walker" when it was used by Minoru.
(When did you capture the ghost of Zhou Gongjin?!) While Tatsuya was mentally talking to himself, magical discharge signs occurred in the air.
Release-Type Systematic Magic "Cloudless Thunder *".
[Literal translation: Thunder in a cloudless blue sky.]
The air is converted into plasma, and the electrons extracted from the plasma are directed towards the target and explode. The negatively charged attack, is an attack of two stages that exposes the target to a violent stream of positive ions which were left behind.
Minoru's "Cloudless Thunder" was released while Tatsuya disassembled
"Parade" and "Ghost Walker". Tatsuya then moved to disassemble
"Cloudless Thunder", but it was much faster than expected.
Tatsuya selected the magic formula for "Douden Himaku" from his library.
Release-Type Systematic magic "Douden Himaku" is a defensive magic that reduces the electrical resistance to nearly zero on the surface of clothes and shoes. It is a defensive magic that makes the electric current of lightning strike the earth.
Using the magic sequence from his Artificial Magic Calculation Area.
Tatsuya tried to activate the "Douden Himaku" with Flash Cast.
At the same time, however, Tatsuya was hit by a magic sequence to increase electric conductance. The magic itself has no magical power, but it conflicts with the "Douden Himaku" that "reduces electric resistance to approximately zero."
The electronic shower of "Cloudless Thunder" striked Tatsuya who failed to invoke magic to defend himself.
Tatsuya dealt with the pain as he rolled across the courtyard of the hospital.
This courtyard is made with natural turf. Below it the ground is made out of earth.
The charge which Tatsuya was hit with grounded into the earth, and the charged ions were sucked into the ground.
Tatsuya supported himself with one knee on the ground.
Minoru stood there looking very surprised by this.
Even if one can endure the pain, the muscles struck by the electron shower should not be able to move freely.
That’s what Minoru thought.
This was Minoru's carelessness. However, it cannot be denied that he was bound by common sense.
Using this gap Tatsuya used "Mist Dispersion" and it finally hit Minoru's body.
Blood spurted from Minoru’s right ankle.
After losing the strength in both his legs, and not just in the right, he collapsed, falling on his back.
To completely block his movement, Tatsuya also targeted his left leg, as well as the right and left shoulders. However, the thing that had fallen down was something without any substance.
Signs of magic invocation began to emerge right behind Tatsuya.
Without wasting any time by turning around, Tatsuya destroyed
"Cloudless Thunder" with "Gram Dispersion". At the same time his
"eyes" weren’t just focused on the magic sequence for "Cloudless Thunder".
Tatsuya searched for the real Minoru in all directions with a 360 degree view around him.
Tatsuya was able to destroy the "Hot Wind Blade" that came at him from the right and was low to the ground, a variation of air bullets where blades are produced by insulating and compressing air into these shapes and aiming them at a target.
Tatsuya's "Decomposition" rapidly expands the decompressed hot-wind blades. Since it was low to the ground, it caused a cloud of sand and dust, he wasn’t blinded but he had to narrow his eyes because the wind was very strong.
With his eyelids half closed, Tatsuya kicked the ground.
Not to the right, nor to the left.
Slight impatience was shown on Tatsuya’s face when he turned to his left.
Was he impatient because he found him?
These signs of disturbance told Tatsuya the precise position of Minoru.
Lightning magic that was creeping up at his feet, was extinguished just before realization.
A decelerating cage that restrains the body was decomposed immediately after activation.
The bombardment of air bullets and hot air blades using air compression vanished because they were dispersed.
Minoru’s magic that attacked one after another, now had a lethal power.
All of it was neutralized, and Tatsuya found Minoru at the same time.
Tatsuya sticks out his right hand. The index finger of this hand was stretches forward, and the rest of the fingers are clenched into a fist, it’s a form called "Ichinokande".
This finger penetrated the clothes and skin of Minoru, and made a deep hole in his left arm's shoulder joint. This was not the result of his finger being reinforced with martial arts training. It was the result of the fact that Tatsuya activated "Mist Dispersion" from the tip of his finger.
When aiming with the naked eye or using magical eyesight, the spell will be redirected by the secret technique of the Kudou family "Parade".
Therefore he approached Minoru and released "decomposition" at an extremely close distance. Now you can deal damage to the enemy, even if all 5 senses are against it.
?
Minoru screamed.
Minoru tried to use the parasite's ability to steal vitality, but Tatsuya removed his finger before he could.
Next, Tatsuya's left index finger was aimed at Minoru's right arm joint.
Minoru could not react in time and a hole was also thrust into his right shoulder.
Tatsuya retracted his left hand from Minoru's body.
However, Tatsuya received an unexpected counter-attack here.
Minoru’s left hand, which was supposed be non-functional, seized him.
A sudden feeling of exhaustion assaulted Tatsuya.
Something was being sucked out of his left wrist.
It wasn’t his Psions. It was something like his life energy.
It is the parasite's ability to absorb life energy.
It was only being absorbed for an instant. Tatsuya immediately twisted his arms reflexively to release himself from Minoru's restraint after being caught by his left wrist.
At the same time, Tatsuya swung down his right hand like a sword, cutting off Minoru's left hand from the spot near his wrist.
Minoru caught his left hand using his right hand and jumped backward.
Although Minoru didn’t seem to have put too much effort into it, he jumped back five meters.
Minoru stuck out the open wound where the left hand used to be.
This time it was Tatsuya's turn to open his eyes in surprise.
Minoru’s left hand was connected in the blink of an eye.
Minoru looked at Tatsuya with a smile on his face.
Whether he looked like this or he had turned himself into a demon, Minoru’s face has no signs of an evil distortion.
"Is this the first time you’ve seen the parasite's healing and regeneration ability?"
Tatsuya remembered that there was one previous incident. A parasite infiltrated First High as an employee of Maximilian Device, unaware that she was one of Lina’s companions.
Lina called her "Mia", she had her heart pierced by Erika's blade, but the parasite instantly healed the wound.
After looking closely, it wasn’t only his wrist but also his right foot, left shoulder, and the hole in the right shoulder were also healed. It is clear that Minoru has the same ability as that parasite called "Mia".
"...Is that so? There seem to be individual differences in the ability of parasites, too."
Meanwhile, Minoru confirms the fact that not all parasites have a high healing ability, after seeing Tatsuya’s subtle facial expression.
"The ability of parasites, are both different in terms of type and level.
Minoru, even if you are able to overcame the vulnerability of your physical body by absorbing a parasite, Minami will not necessarily be cured in the same way."
Minoru gasps.
Tatsuya did not miss this opportunity and held out his right hand that was clenched.
Upon the guidance of Yakumo, the anti-parasite Non-Systematic Magic
"Armour Piercing Psion Bullet", also known as Far Strike.
That magic’s original function is to dash through the air.
Originally Psion bullets were not limited in terms of speed.
Psion bullets that do not have mass and do not have physical conditions and are not bound by the speed of light.
However, "Armour Piercing Psion bullet" is not just a Psion bullet.
It is not just a bullet made solely out of Psions.
The "Armour Piercing Psion bullet" is a bullet that flies through the Information Dimension.
Originally, there is no concept of movement in the Information Dimension.
To solve the problem of "movement" in the Information Dimension, the positional change of the information itself is not used and time is not factored in. It doesn’t even take a moment, because it just rewrites the place "where the information applies".
"Armour Piercing Psion Bullet" introduces the concept of movement in the Information Dimension. This solid mass of Psions which is an information element is given the definition to "Continuously and exclusively move in the Information Dimension".
That's the "Armour Piercing Psion Bullet".
As a result, its movement speed is determined by the operator, that is, the limit to recognize the movement in the Dimension is restricted by Tatsuya. He is releasing the "Armour Piercing Psion bullet" like he is shooting something.
Even so, although the speed of the movement is much greater than 100
kilometers per hour, it still is not nearly as fast as regular bullets. It is also inferior to the speed of arrows. There will be a difference between individuals.
Minoru jumped reflexively after seeing the "Armour Piercing Psion bullet".
But it was not a jump.
He fought against "Armour Piercing Psion Bullet" with Flying-Type Magic.
The "Armour Piercing Psion Bullet" disappeared through the illusion of
"Parade" that "he" was still left on "ground" in the Information Dimension.
The flying magic used by Minoru was not the modern magic technique developed by Tatsuya. It is a flying magic sequence from the Taoist Technique-type Ancient Magic system in which he takes a ride on a
"cloud".
A magic that creates the chemical body of "clouds", gives it a function as a foothold.
Tatsuya decomposed the clouds that Minoru was riding with his magic.
But Minoru did not fall down.
This time he was floating by neutralizing the gravity with Modern Weight-Type Magic. Flying Magic was called one of the "Three Great Puzzles of Weight Systematic Magic" because it was difficult to realize free aerial mobility, but it is not difficult if it is just floating.
Minoru stretched his hands out with his palms facing the ground. Plasma bullets were shot out one after another from his palm.
Compressing air to the size of a golf ball, and ionizing it. It is a simple magic to shoot towards the ground.
Tatsuya directed "Mist Dispersion" towards Minoru while preventing this attack by disrupting the generation of the plasma bullets.
However, his magic was stopped halfway through invocation.
Minoru did not maintain his floating state but was moving in the air with continuous jumps.
Instead of flying, he jumped on the footholds created in the air.
By leaving the illusions of "Parade" he created after-images.
The problem was not only the difficulty of grasping the location of the main body.
Tatsuya wavered.
Minoru has that ability to heal and regenerate, even if he gets injured by Partial Decomposition. In order to control Minoru, he will have to take away his consciousness.
However, Minoru did not stop even after his wrist was cut off.
Using "Mist Dispersion", he can only neutralize him by killing him...
Tatsuya was hesitant to kill Minoru.
The attack directed by Minoru, even if it is fatal, cannot kill Tatsuya.
Tatsuya cannot even be killed by "Cloudless Thunder" or "Jintai Hakka". Much less, plasma bullets cannot even stop his movements.
The magic that can truly be a threat to Tatsuya is the magic that attacks the spirit or mind which is beyond his "Regrowth", but Minoru is not trying to use Mental Interference Magic. Or perhaps it cannot be used, but anyway, the magic he uses now is not a real threat to Tatsuya.
And also, first of all, Minoru never committed hostile actions against Miyuki, or even show any hostility to them. And the motive of Minoru was the treatment of Minami.
In other words, the current hostility is only temporary.
Even though he is now a parasite, it is highly likely that he will be of use in the future.
Is it okay to lose the precious military power of Kudou Minoru, here and now?
This dilemma made his point dull.
(However, we cannot be sure.)
If all of his body is decomposed, even the healing regeneration capacity will not be effective enough either.
Even if you do not turn the whole body into dust, the parasite will just leave the body after the heart is gone.
Decompose the heart, then if you can blow away the parasite using
"Gram Demolition" within the reviving time, he may be able to return Minoru back to normal by using "Regrowth" to restore his heart afterwards.
(...Let's do it)
Minoru's attack stops when Tatsuya strengthened his determination to break from this deadlock situation.
"Tatsuya-san, do you really think we can settle things at this rate?"
Minoru said exactly the same thing that Tatsuya was thinking.
"Apparently to me, it seems that I cannot break through Tatsuya's defenses unless I attempt to kill you."
And it was the same as Tatsuya, he could not make a decision to give him a fatal injury. Minoru said so.
"It seems so."
Tatsuya agreed to this statement, while Minoru floated in the air and smiled with a nod.
"Tatsuya-san, I think that the best way for Minami to regain a 'healthy'
body is to become a parasite."
"I do not think so."
"Is that so. It seems our opinions will continue to run parallel."
Minoru turned his eyes to the broken glass window. Beyond there is Minami's hospital room.
"But I've conveyed my ideas to Minami."
Minoru returns his eyes to Tatsuya.
"So as far as I am concerned, I am content with this for now."
Minoru's body begins to rise.
At his feet, the chemical clouds formed again. Minoru flew away on this cloud.
"...He’s gone, then?" With a sigh of relief, Tatsuya muttered, when he watched the flying "cloud" with Minoru on it disappear from his sight.
This is not the end.
Nothing is finished with just that.
Minoru will be back.
But we can think that at least for today it's over, thought Tatsuya.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login