03x11 - Ancient City Insurrection Part III

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OCTOBER 12, A.D. 2096

- KYOTO NEW INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER

- This is the venue, the
new Convention Center.

It's quite far from the
city center, isn't it?

Unlike last year, there aren't that many buildings
for criminals or saboteurs to infiltrate.

But since it's surrounded by so much nature,
that means there are plenty of places to hide.

If there actually aren't
any hiding places nearby,

they're likely to set up
base at a slight distance.

What you're saying, Yoshida, is that
we should be casting a wider net...

than just the venue's
immediate surroundings?

Yes. We don't want a repeat of
what happened last year after all.

So, Mikihiko, who will you
be sending to do recon?

I'll be going. And I'll be asking
Leo and Erika for protection.

Do you think that the school can spare
its Disciplinary Committee chairman?

I'm thinking of asking Ms. Kitayama, who's
on the guard team, to fill in for me.

Also, I'd like you to come, too, Tatsuya.

Fine.

Brother, if you don't mind,
I'd like to accompany you, too.

Even though you're the
Student Council president?

I'd like to meet the people from the hotel
that the backup team will be staying at.

In the meantime, I want you to
take care of the budget, Honoka.

Huh?

Sure, you can count on me!

As for you, Vice President Izumi...

I'd like you to take charge of
the Council while I'm gone.

Please, just leave it to me!
I'll give it my best shot!

When should we go?

How about the weekend
before the competition,

one night and two days
from the 20th to the 21st?

It sounds appropriate.

The team will consist of myself, Miyuki,
Mikihiko, Leo, Erika and Minami, so six of us.

Me, too?

Yes. Help Miyuki out while we're there.

Understood!

What's the matter?

Right, about this news...

- m*rder*d BODY BY A RIVERBANK
IN KOYOTO. SUSPECT ON THE RUN.

- A m*rder?

- The name of the victim
is... Mr. Saburo Nakura.

Brother, isn't this man...

OCTOBER 13, A.D. 2096

What's wrong, Mayumi? All this sighing...

I want to ask for your
advice about something.

What's up?

You know Mr. Nakura, don't you?

He's your bodyguard, right?
Did something happen to him?

The thing is...

he's been m*rder*d.

m*rder*d?!

Yes.

But we don't know why.

All my father would tell me was that
he'd gone to Kyoto on business.

I'm sure it was some shady job as usual.

Still...

for him to end up losing his life...

I just...

don't think I can sit
back and let this go.

Is there a reason why you feel that way?

I don't have any leads yet.

But I can't stop thinking about it!

I don't have a lot of time I can spare.

I know!

Why don't you talk to Jumonji?

The Ten Master Clans has a rule prohibiting any
collaboration unless it's cleared in a clan meeting.

Then, how about Tatsuya?

Wh-Why Tatsuya?

Well, isn't this year's Thesis
Competition being held in Kyoto?

OCTOBER 15, A.D. 2096

Tatsuya, do you remember Mr. Nakura?

Yes.

My condolences for your loss.

I am humbled by your thoughtfulness.

So, you knew about it, then.

I saw it on the news.

Then, do you know how he died?

Only that it was m*rder...

That's right.

Someone k*lled Mr. Nakura.

I, for one, have no idea
who that person was.

What do you mean by "I, for one"?

My father knows who was behind it.

After all, Mr. Nakura was in Kyoto to carry
out a secret task ordered by my father.

So, what is it that you want to do?

I want to find out the truth.

To identify the culprit, you mean?

Yes. That's right.

My bodyguard lost his life on
the Saegusa Family's orders.

I don't want to look away from that fact.

As a member of the Saegusa Family,
I want to know the whole truth!

I'm not in a place
where I can accept this!

I can't hold my head high and say, "I am
the eldest daughter of the Saegusa Family!"

So, what do you want from me?

It's not as if I have a
detective's know-how...

or connections to someone who
could help with the investigation.

Unfortunately, I don't think
I can be of use to you.

The culprit is most likely connected
to the incident in Yokohama!

What do you mean by "the
incident in Yokohama"?

Someone involved in the
Yokohama Disturbance last year.

Mr. Nakura seemed to have been looking
into the Chinatown district lately.

Do you understand how
dangerous this could be?

Yes.

Even so, I can't just
sit here and do nothing.

So, Tatsuya, please!

I want you to give me a hand!

Very well.

What would you like me to do specifically?

Tatsuya, you'll be heading to
Kyoto for security work, right?

I'd like you to give me some of
your time while you're there.

I want to see the spot
where Mr. Nakura was k*lled.

Understood.

Then, I'll see you on Sunday, the 21st.

Thanks, Tatsuya.

Do you mind if I ask you something?

Do you know what Mr. Nakura
was wearing when he was k*lled?

I'm pretty sure the police
have them in storage.

Would it be possible to
take a look at them?

I'll try contacting the
detective who notified me.

I'm sorry.

I didn't think you'd be that sympathetic.

I've agreed to assist you with
this, so I'll do everything I can.

That's the full account
of what happened in Nara.

So, Tatsuya's taking his
job seriously for now?

Yes. He's been proactively advancing
the search for Gongjin Zhou...

and I'm not seeing any signs of rebellion.

Why didn't you ask him directly about
the details of the search operation?

I think it would've been a good test
to see if he's truly obedient or not.

If I may be so bold,

I didn't believe there were grounds to
do so for the purpose you have in mind.

It's not really anything
so grand as a purpose.

It's not because he's my nephew.

I just didn't think it would be in the
interests of the Yotsubas to drive that boy out.

I believe that "Because he's my blood-related
nephew" would be a sufficient reason.

Mr. Hayama...

Pardon me.

Mr. Hayama...

Lord Kuroba...

You wanted to see me?

What you were just
discussing with the head...

It was about that man,
Gongjin Zhou, was it not?

Yes.

I am sure you know that at this time,
Lady Miyuki's guardian is being tested.

Yes, I am aware of that.

I was giving her a progress report.

As Lady Miyuki is a leading
candidate to be the next head.

The Yotsubas must know for sure that her guardian
won't one day rise up against the family.

It's a necessary step the family
must take for the future.

There's no way that man has any
loyalty toward the Yotsubas!

I have no idea why you would
say that with such certainty.

Master Tatsuya doesn't know...

he was nearly k*lled by the
family soon after birth...

so if that's your concern,

then you're probably jumping at shadows.

Hayama!

Even I am aware he has no shred
of loyalty toward the Yotsubas.

Knowing that, Madam assigned
Tatsuya to protect Lady Miyuki.

Lord Kuroba...

Loyalty is actually unnecessary.

Only actions have any meaning.

Tools have no need to be loyal.

Weapons need not have souls.

b*stard!

Are you calling magicians "weapons"?

You may have forgotten this,
but I, too, am a magician.

Weapons feel no fear.

Weapons have no anxiety.

There's only the concern that
those things may happen.

Can you really say that a human heart
that tries to k*ll innocent people...

is any better than a soulless weapon?

THE IRREGULAR AT MAGIC HIGH SCHOOL
ANCIENT CITY INSURRECTION PART III

OCTOBER 20, A.D. 2096 KYOTO STATION

Mr. Tatsuya! Ms. Miyuki! Ms. Minami!

Good morning!

Minoru!

Oh my gosh!

I can't believe someone else as
drop-dead gorgeous as Miyuki existed!

Nice to meet you.

I'm Minoru Kudou of Second High School.

All right, let's leave our luggage at the
hotel, then head over to the competition venue.

KYOTO NEW INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER

It doesn't look like it'll be easy
to infiltrate in a large group.

But on the other hand, it's ideal for
small groups to disperse and hide in.

Since they can hide in residential homes
if they're in groups of two or three.

An old caster would have all
kinds of ways to escape notice...

like throwing up a barrier
that impedes recognition.

Should we split up and
walk around the area?

If there's a barrier, I think we
could at least sense some discomfort.

No, that wouldn't be efficient.

If they're just going to hide
in houses in small groups,

they'll keep it to the bare minimum,
so outsiders won't notice the barrier.

Then, what should we do?

I'll try casting a search spell.

Would you mind giving me
a hand, Erika and Leo?

Sure! Leave it to me!

I guess there's no way out
of it! Sure, I'll do it.

I'm counting on you.

Tatsuya...

Ms. Miyuki and Ms. Sakurai...

Could you patrol the downtown
area like we discussed last week?

Uh...

I'll show Mr. Tatsuya
and the others around.

Since it wouldn't be good for Second High, either,
if the same thing as last year were to happen.

The Traditionalist base closest to the direction
in which Gongjin Zhou is said to have escaped...

is in Kuramayama.

Would you like to go there, Mr. Tatsuya?

No, let's head back to the city.

You mean the middle of the city?

Brother, do you think that Gongjin Zhou may
be hiding where there are lots of people?

Yes.

I see. Like hiding a
tree in a forest, right?

A Traditionalist base in
a fairly populated area...

There are maybe three places,
including Kiyomizu Shrine.

That's less than I thought.

The sects that are carrying out the true
traditions hold a lot of sway in Kyoto.

So, the "in-name-only" emerging sects have
been driven into the nearby mountains.

Master Minoru...

Why would the Traditionalists of
Kyoto who are in such a situation...

protect a foreign magician who's
brought numerous disasters onto Japan?

This is just speculation, but deep down,
they probably wanted to turn him away.

But the Traditionalists were in so deep with
Gongjin Zhou that they couldn't get out of it.

Meaning there was a reason why
they couldn't cut ties with him?

The Traditionalists were being fed a supply
of defected tacticians by Gongjin Zhou.

On the surface, it looks like the
Traditionalists were helping Gongjin Zhou...

but the reality seems to be that...

Gongjin Zhou was helping the
Traditionalists to bolster their forces.

- HIGASHIYAMA WARD

- Let's start by going to Kiyomizu Shrine.

- Let's search the downtown area.

It looks like they're here.

From the mountains?

The only presence I'm detecting
is in the mountains...

but it's not a given that the
enemy will only emerge from there.

And it might not just be humans
that attack us. Watch your backs.

I'll handle it!

What are they, ninjas?

Interesting!

Leo, keep your heart hot
and your mind cool, okay?

Sorry! I owe you one!

And sorry, Mikihiko! I'm supposed to be
protecting you, but you protected me!

Hey, you protected me from
that surprise attack.

We've got each other's backs.

Okay! Let's leave it at that, then!

Leave the enemy on the side to me!

I'll back you up!

Let's go, dammit!

Oh, crap!

A clone?

Thunder Child!

Is that the last of them?

Doesn't seem like reinforcements
are on the way right now.

Still, who would've
thought they'd send ninjas?

You mean ninjutsu users.

- KURAMAYAMA

- SAKYO WARD KYOTO NEW
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER

- There was a base in Kuramayama
built by Ancient Magic users...

- who practiced ninjutsu.

I think these people must
be casters from there.

Oh yeah? Is that the story, then?

Interesting!

It never gets boring
being around you guys!

Is that the enemy?

Compound-Forms?

No!

These are water-based puppet spell demons!

They've got actual bodies!

Hey, they're no big deal!

Whoa!

Oh, crap! Let's get out of...

You can't be serious!

Garuda flame!

They really did a number on him.

This one's in horrible shape,
too, but he seems to be alive.

That's weird.

What is?

Why isn't the water
seeping into the ground?

What's going on?

It's the enemy's magic!

Xiangliu?!

Get out of the way!

Acid?

No, it's a corrosive spell!

Watch out!

Unlike acid, it's not just the parts that
get doused with that liquid that'll melt!

Where's the caster?

Over there?

But...

Erika, Leo!

Let's retreat for now!

I agree with you on that!

But how do you plan on doing that?!

It may be kin to an evil deity,
but Xiangliu is a water attribute.

If it's a spell cast by accessing the
highest-ranked water deity, Dragon God...

But...

can I pull it off?

Masaki Ichijo?

Are you all right?

THE IRREGULAR AT MAGIC HIGH SCHOOL
ANCIENT CITY INSURRECTION PART IV