01x08 - Hell of Ice and Flames

[bunniefuu]

-- / Nine School Competition Day Four

All right! To celebrate Shizuku's victory in Speed sh**ting...

and the strong finishes by Kazumi and myself,

and Honoka making past the qualifying round in Battle Board...

Kanpai!

Thank goodness Day One of the Rookie Events ended without a hitch!

I'm off tomorrow, but you all have matches, right?

Shizuku, Amy and I will be taking part in Ice Pillars Break.

Nanami and I are in Crowd Ball.

Isn't Isshiki-san of Third High in Crowd Ball, too?

Yeah. You can't let your guard down against her.

No need to worry, guys.

Since I'm competing,

I can guarantee you a flamboyant victory for First High!

Is this your first time seeing Subaru do that?

Because of her hereditary Awareness Block skill,

she tends to speak and act in a way that will leave a lasting impression.

I-Is that right?

I wish I was competing in Pillars Break, too.

Shiba-kun's your engineer, right?

That's right. You can trust him.

Wasn't your Active Air Mine a spell created by Shiba-kun, too?

So's my Flash!

Really, that, too? Man, I wish he could've been the engineer for Crowd Ball, too!

Since Onii-sama only has one body,

he can't possibly work on two events at the same time.

But I know where Nanami's coming from.

As of now, he's undefeated in every event he's worked on.

That's a feat that would entitle anyone to swagger more.

But I hear that he declined to have his name recorded in the Index, too.

Yes. That's a bad habit of Onii-sama.

Please tell me.

Did you decline to be named in the Index?

Did Oba-sama and her intentions have anything to do with that?

That's right.

I knew it.

So, that's the reason.

The shackles that bind you, Onii-sama, are the Yotsuba's existence.

My existence.

If only I had more power...

Miyuki...

You don't have to worry about those things.

Onii-sama...

Even if the world becomes your enemy,

I will always be on your side.

Please don't ever forget that!

--

Was Third High's Isshiki Airi really that powerful?

That speed of hers was superhuman!

And I dialed it up to the human threshold limit during virtual training!

Even if that's true...

Contestant Isshiki will slow down for sure.

So long as I have my special skill.

The Rookie Events continue to heat up!

Already, the Women's Crowd Ball final is upon us!

Going up against First High School's Contestant Satomi Subaru is... Third High School's Contestant Isshiki Airi!

Women's Crowd Ball <August Rookie Event> Satomi Subaru (First High School) ― Isshiki Airi (Third High School)

In this event...

the players will vie to deposit the most ba*ls in their opponent's court within the time limit!

And the ba*ls are flying all over the court so fast, you can barely see them!

Something's wrong.

I know that I'm aiming for wherever she's not standing.

An illusion? No, she's actually there.

And yet, I can't sense her presence at all.

My Awareness Block skill is a type of BS Magic

that allows me to conceal my presence even when I'm visible.

Even if you do spot me, there's nothing you can do.

She must've cast some kind of unique spell...

but there's no time to ponder the reason.

In that case...

I won't watch for her movements.

I'll just focus on the ba*ls.

Pick up the pace...

and return every single ball that I can see!

Was that a fluke?

No...

She's clearly accelerating!

I-I can't possibly reach them all!

If it's a test of pure speed, no one has a chance against me.

Because I'm Éclair...

Lightning!

Match over!

Winner of the Women's Crowd Ball Rookie Event...

Contestant Isshiki Airi of Third High School!

Subaru...

That was tough, huh?

Woah, that's our Airi, all right!

Huh?

Hey, you're that Light Magic user from yesterday! Fancy meeting you here!

Uh, I guess.

Is the runner-up a friend of yours?

She may have gotten tripled up by Airi,

but getting a double-digit score off Airi is nothing to sneeze at!

But the fact that she got such a huge lead...

I wonder if it has something to do with the light at her neck.

Ah... You were able to see that light, yes?

If you could see that, you must be hypersensitive to light.

Now I understand how your Flash Spell yesterday could be so precise.

What you saw was the light from Airi's necklace CAD.

Since it only contains the bare minimum of magic,

the amount of light is minute, so I'm impressed you could see it.

Airi's magic consists of a spell to directly recognize perceived information with her mind,

and a spell to directly command the body to return shots, run, and control her CAD, all with her mind.

Y-You mean her body starts moving before she can even think?

Well, before she can see, to be precise.

That's why Airi's known as Éclair.

That kind of magic actually exists?

But that's such crucial information. Are you sure it's okay to share it with me?

When I'm with a rival team?

Not a problem!

As powerful as Airi is, it wouldn't slow her down even if her opponents were to find out!

From the looks of it, you're here to watch the Ice Pillars Break matches alone, right?

How about watching with me?

I let myself cave in to her.

I really am a pushover!

I've got to be more careful.

You got that right!

Being as you're a little fragile!

Did I just say that out loud?

Oh, the match is about to start!

In Ice Pillars Break, the players try to destroy their opponent's ice pillars

while defending their own twelve pillars!

And their costumes are also riveting!

So, Shiori went with her fencing outfit, huh?

I like that look in her eye.

If I can boost the data fortification output...

I can prevent the ice from breaking!

Futile.

No way!

The ice was fortified. How can it break so easily?

That magic can't be blocked by a counterattack like that.

Since Shiori's magic starts in midair,

you can't stop the spell from activating by fortifying the ice's data.

Not only that, but since she's generating multiple oscillation waves,

they intersect at the synthesis point...

and become many times stronger!

Since it's come to this...

Now the oscillation waves can't get hit when they synthesize.

How's that?

Just as I thought.

You disabled your data fortification spell to move those ice pillars.

There's no need to unleash layers of oscillation on such fragile ice.

You're finished!

Shiori's back in full force!

She has such an intense look on her face.

I should, too!

Akechi Eimi (First High School) ― Shinozaki Anju (Eight High School)

Next up, Contestant Akechi Eimi of First High School!

Huh! That's your friend, isn't it?

Yay! Thanks for waiting!

I'm going to smash your hearts!

Bam!

-- / First High School

Amy, your specialty is moving buildings, right?

Yep! I can handle the really big ones, too! And my activation speed is second to none!

I see. Then, can you move a pillar from Ice Pillars Break as if it were a single building?

Of course!

Not to brag, but when I was a kid,

I used to move around the stone pillars in my yard for fun!

The ones like you see in Stonehenge.

Well, that's...

sure impressive. In more than one sense of the word.

Well, but I did get an earful from my grandma.

That kind of experience definitely works in our favor.

Let me come up with a spell with that in mind.

Flashback So fast! And this magic sequence...

Flashback is totally simple and so streamlined!

Flashback Now I'm sure I've got this!

-- / Ice Pillars Break Women's Rookie Event Qualifying Rounds

All right.

Let's get started!

Yippee ki yay!

Ah!

What's going on, Contestant Akechi? You just toppled your own pillar!

Let's go!

Huh?

Who in their right mind...

She sacrificed one of her own pillars to go after her opponent's?

That's our Amy!

Winner, Contestant Akechi Eimi of First High School!

I feel awesome!

First High School

Good job, Shizuku, Amy.

The crowd sure had a blast, too!

I'm so glad I was able to win.

Although those two are looking depressed...

I can't believe it.

Isshiki-san was so powerful.

Come on, cheer up! You both achieved a lot, you know!

Subaru, you were the runner-up...

and Nanami, you came in a respectable th!

For both of you to finish so high at the same time is still a feat.

It's a huge victory, right on the heels of the Speed sh**ting Event!

The President and the others were really thrilled, too!

Well, I guess it's not too shabby a result, huh?

Right! If only I hadn't drawn Isshiki-san, I might've cracked the podium, too!

Well, now they're all hyper again.

But it's all good, don't you think?

Still, I can't believe your energy, Amy!

After playing trump until dawn yesterday and the day before!

Huh? You were?

Well, since Amy's the type who whoops it up until she's totally spent.

F-For the love of all that's holy, let us sleep now.

Tomorrow... I mean today we have matches.

Not yet, not yet! One more game!

You should be ashamed! We're not playing with you anymore, okay?

It's your turn next, right, Miyuki?

Yes.

This is your first match of the tournament, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Are you?

Then I'll have to do my best, so as not to disappoint you.

Come to think of it, for the Ice Pillars Break Event...

if everyone keeps winning,

then Shizuku and Amy will have to go up against Miyuki eventually.

Who should I root for if that happens?

Hey, what kind of costume are you wearing, Miyuki?

Both Shizuku and Amy really went all out, remember?

My outfit is quite orthodox.

As for what it is, you'll see soon enough!

That contestant will be up next.

Well, Airi's had her eye on her from the start.

Can't wait to see her!

Yes.

Let me see the talent

that earned you a spot among the upperclassmen in the official Mirage Bat Event, just like me.

These are the qualifying rounds for the Women's Ice Pillars Break Rookie Event!

And now, here's Contestant Shiba Miyuki, taking the field!

All right! What kind of outfit will Miyuki be wearing―

She looks amazing in that kimono!

Gorgeous!

That looks so good on her!

Orthodox?

Oh, poor thing. Her opponent is totally paralyzed.

Is Miyuki-san's outfit part of her strategy?

That sounds like you.

It's not an especially unusual outfit.

It's a standard magical costume that's been used in Japan since ancient times.

Somehow he's just a bit off, this kid.

Yep.

First of all, I must calm myself.

Merely thinking can cause my magic to interfere with phenomena.

If I were to jump the g*n, I'd cause trouble for my brother, my engineer...

That would be unthinkable.

Wha―

Wh-What is this?

D-Don't tell me this spell is...

Midrange Area Oscillation Magic.

Inferno!

What? You mean that advanced magic?

No way.

Burning her opponent's ice with blazing hellfire...

Meanwhile, she's protecting her own ice completely with an ultralow temperature lid.

Who knew there was a high school student capable of this feat?

Who are you, Shiba Miyuki?

And that's the match!

Winner, Contestant Shiba Miyuki of First High School!

Miyuki sure was amazing!

Who knew she was this amazing?

Oh man! Now that was a sight to see!

Let's go for some tea!

You sure are laid-back, Touko.

You two are so lucky.

Since you might get the chance to take her on.

Do you want to take her on?

Well, why wouldn't I?

It's a chance to go head-to-head

in a no-holds-barred environment against a magician of that caliber!

Probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance!

You're right.

It's true that Shiba Miyuki is a contestant of immense magical power.

That's why triumphing over her will be especially meaningful.

As long as it's not a mere test of magical power, but an event that goes by the book...

you can defeat any magician no matter how powerful.

And I've logged so many hours of training to accomplish that. So...

we can win for sure!

Absolutely!

You said it!

I knew all about it...

but how powerful is Miyuki?

Just thinking that I might have to face off with her gives me a stomachache!

Hey...

Amy, that's not like you to look so worried.

Even I can get freaked out once in a while, you know!

I don't blame you. After all, your next opponent is pretty formidable!

Huh?

Remember? It's Contestant Kanou of Third High, who also competed in Speed sh**ting, too.

I watched her match, but she pulverized her opponent's pillars just like that!

Oh!

Darn it! This is no time to be worrying about taking on Miyuki!

Wh-What am I going to do?

Shiba-san, thank you!

Thanks to you, I somehow made it into the Top !

Miyuki!

Your Inferno was mind-blowing!

Is that thanks to Shiba-kun, too?

Yes, of course. That spell could never have been unleashed without Onii-sama.

Huh? That's what I thought, but it's true!

Amazing!

Thank goodness. Now everyone acknowledges Onii-sama's abilities.

The first year women's table sure looks cheery!

Well, they did dominate the podium, more or less.

Especially the events he was in charge of. Total sweep.

And because they turned down Tatsuya-kun's support,

the boys aren't doing too well. Night and day, much?

Arara.

Boy, am I out of luck! One more win, and I could've been in the final league!

Are you still moping about that?

You've got Shiba-kun's support, so try to be more confident!

I know I should, but...

just thinking about tomorrow totally kills both my confidence and my appetite.

I'm not seeing any loss of appetite.

Ara, students of First High... Good evening.

Did you just have dinner?

U-Um...

Yes.

We just finished now.

Are you on your way in?

Yes. What a shame that we missed you.

But I'm glad that we met now.

Shiba Miyuki-san...

Earlier, I spoke to you in an insulting manner.

But I've come to realize that my perception was clearly wrong.

I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies for my rude behavior.

You're a magician of the highest caliber among our generation.

That's precisely why I'm planning to go all out to defeat you...

and leave this Nine Schools Competition with Third High victorious.

Ara!

There they go again this year!

Hey! You're enjoying this too much!

Right.

Needless to say, I have no intention of losing to you, either.

Let's all give it our all, then.

They're both unbelievable!

Neither of them has the thought of losing on their minds!

So cool!

I should be that way, too!

It's not as if my defeat is a foregone conclusion yet.

I'm just going to do all that I can!

That's all I can do, right?

All right! Just watch me! Yippee ki―

Go to sleep already!

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