03x12 - Ancient City Insurrection Part IV

[bunniefuu]

Did you find out anything?

No, I can't with this
jumble of gazes all around.

What about you, Mr. Tatsuya?

I've checked every single gaze aimed at
Miyuki but didn't detect anything suspicious.

A-All of them?

Yes. As far as scandalous looks
go, she's being bombarded by them,

but the same goes for you, I guess.

Brother...

You shouldn't tease Minoru.

Let's get back to the search.

There are traces of Ancient Magic.

This is...

It looks like they were using
familiars to surveil the area.

They're hidden skillfully.

There are still traces up there.

Welcome!

TOFU

Table for four?

No.

That's right.

Party of four, coming through!

I guess we'll get started
after we've had lunch.

Two orders of yudofu and two
orders of yuba hot pot, please.

Very well.

Also, I was told about this
place by Mr. Kudou of Ikoma.

Do you think I could meet
with the proprietor?

Mr. Kudou of Ikoma, right?

Understood.

I never thought that I'd get to meet with
someone from the Kudou Family like this.

I no longer have any intention of stirring
up trouble with anyone from Nine.

Forgive me, but aren't you a
member of the Traditionalists?

Yes. I am a conjurer who leads
a branch of the Traditionalists.

How can a Traditionalist magician...

not be hostile toward magicians from the former
Ninth Institute led by the Kudou Family?

Didn't the Traditionalists form because of
their enmity toward the former Ninth Institute?

Initially, we were serious
about plotting our revenge.

But that only concerned
the former Ninth Institute,

and we had no intention of
betraying our homeland.

Are you talking about the fact that you
guys took in the defected immortalists?

We can no longer put up with
the antics of the Nara branch.

Why would they take in
casters from the Continent...

knowing full well they'd turn out
to be traitors within the walls?

Could you show us that those
aren't just empty words?

We're searching for a Chinese
magician who escaped from Yokohama.

His name is Gongjin Zhou.

He's a dangerous man who's brought
numerous disasters upon this country.

Understood.

I'll share the information
that I've managed to obtain.

Gongjin Zhou is not in the city of Kyoto.

The last time we were able to locate him,

- he was at the headquarters of a group of former
Esoteric Buddhist priests near the Bamboo Grove.

- UJI

- KYOTO

- After that, he appears to have headed south,
but there's no sign of him having left Uji.

If I'm being honest, I still haven't let go of
my grudge against the former Ninth Institute.

But you people had the decency to show
us the minimum amount of courtesy.

There was no meaningless bloodshed.

Thank you for sharing such
valuable information.

One more thing.

Watch out for the Kuramayama
and Arashiyama factions.

They've been completely duped by
the magicians from the Continent.

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
didn't yield any clues, either, did it?

No.

Hey!

Ichijo...

Ms...

Shiba!

Long time no see!

So, you're here in Kyoto, too, Ichijo?

Yes. I thought I'd check it out before
next week's Thesis Competition.

He saved us from a pinch, you know!

We learned that the agent...

who guided the Great Asian Alliance during
the Yokohama Disturbance last year...

is being sheltered in the Kyoto area.

I'm here on a mission to find him.

A mission? Shiba, are you...

Not only am I a student
at First High School...

I'm also a special officer of the JGDF 101st
Brigade Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion.

What... did you say?!

Ichijo, I know I don't have to tell
you this, but keep this to yourself.

Right.

So, this is Tatsuya's technique.

He drags other people into his
affairs by force like this.

Let's get back to the subject.

This agent is an Ancient Magician
who goes by Gongjin Zhou,

and there's a chance that he'll do something
to sabotage the Thesis Competition.

Are you serious?

Ichijo... Do you know something?

Y-Yeah.

I see. So, it's him?

It's him, right? During the Yokohama Incident last
year, part of the invasion force fled into Chinatown.

I pressed the residents of
Chinatown to hand them over.

The young guy who'd detained
the invasion force soldiers...

and handed them over to us
announced himself as...

Gongjin Zhou?

That's right.

By the way, what kind of
magic does this guy use?

I hear he uses a spell
called "Ghost Walker."

That's a spell used by Ancient
Magicians from the Continent.

It's Sensory Interference Magic used
to disorient the sense of direction.

Direction?

Like, for instance, drowning someone by disorienting
him so he can't tell if he's going up or down?

It's mainly known to be used for...

throwing off your pursuer's
sense of direction,

so that even though you're visible to him,
he'll never catch up to you, no matter what.

Not all of Ghost Walker's
sequences are that large in scale.

Wouldn't they also be effective
on a personal combat level?

I think we should actually
be more wary of that.

What kind of combat, for example?

Casting spells at each other while
at a standstill is one thing...

but if you're both battling while
changing directions at a furious pace,

losing sight of your opponent could lead to
making yourself vulnerable to a fatal degree.

I see. If you're disoriented...

you wouldn't be able to tell
which direction you're facing.

At the same time...

that means you also wouldn't know where
your opponent is from your own standpoint.

Let's set aside the topic of Ghost
Walker for now and discuss today.

Mikihiko, tell us about
the enemy you fought.

The enemies who attacked
us were ninjutsu users.

They were probably either
ninjas from Kuramayama...

or ninjas who'd escaped from there.

But...

they were being led by an
immortalist from the Continent.

We made some progress on our end, too.

Not enough to be called a clue, but we were able to
narrow down the range where Gongjin Zhou is hiding.

I'm thinking of going
to Arashiyama tomorrow.

OCTOBER 21, A.D. 2096

I'm sorry, Mr. Tatsuya.

Don't give another thought. It's not
as if you're at fault here, Minoru.

Even still...

I'm ashamed of myself.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

You're doing great for us.

You really think so?

That's how I truly feel.

Not only have you been
more than helpful...

I'm also sure that when push comes to shove,
I'll be asking for your assistance again.

You need to be ready then,
so don't overdo it now.

All right, I won't.

I'll be leaving Minami with you.
She's an expert at housework.

And just like you, depending
on her would make her happier.

So, ask for anything no
matter how trivial it may be.

Thank you very much.

Minami, sorry. Look
after Minoru, will you?

Very well!

I am well aware that this is my job.

Just leave Master Minoru's care to me.

Master Minoru, please rest up well today.

All right. I'll take it easy in bed, then.

Ms. Sakurai, being stared at like
that is embarrassing for me.

I-I'm so sorry!

Shiba...

I thought we were heading to Arashiyama.

Right. But first...

Sorry I'm late, Tatsuya.

No, you're right on time.

These are the clothes
Mr. Nakura was wearing.

And this blood?

These bloodstains are all from the victim.

Mr. Nakura's corpse was found to be
pierced through the stomach from behind,

and his chest had exploded from inside.

Ms. Mayumi, wasn't Mr. Nakura an expert
at casting spells that used liquids?

Oh, right, now I remember!

Mr. Nakura told me his specialty was turning water
into needles and piercing his opponents with them.

If that's the case, did Mr. Nakura turn his
own blood into needles and fire them, maybe?

That's literally counterattacking
at the cost of his life.

If Gongjin Zhou's clothes...

still have any traces of the deceased's
blood on them, it will give us a clue.

Just in case.

Thank goodness.

Master Minoru's condition
seems to be stabilizing now.

It's so strange.

Even though I haven't known
Master Minoru for long...

it doesn't feel as if I've
met him for the first time.

THE IRREGULAR AT MAGIC HIGH SCHOOL
ANCIENT CITY INSURRECTION PART IV

Is this where it happened?

I'd like to take a look at the
surrounding area. Would that be all right?

Yes. I'm the one who asked
you to come with me after all.

If you have any ideas, I'll be
happy to go along with you.

Brother!

Thirteen attackers.

Ichijo!

Leave this to me!

This noise is similar to Cast Jamming!

Even if I add the one I just
defeated, that only makes 12.

There's one missing.

Ichijo!

I'll handle this!

Kan!

What's that?

No way!

Ichijo! Any magic that has a
direct effect will get slashed!

Any magic that has a direct
effect will get slashed?

No.

My Rupture isn't that lame a spell!

These magicians are puppets.

So, that's their headquarters, huh?

This is an emergency, Mr. Tatsuya! Master Minoru's
health has suddenly taken a turn for the worse!

All right. I'll come right back.

I'm going to get in touch with Ms. Fujibayashi,
so keep on looking after him, Minami.

I know it won't be easy for you on
your own, but I'm counting on you.

How's Minoru doing?

The medicine's working,
so he's asleep now.

Although he did look like he was
in a lot of anguish just now.

Listen, Tatsuya. I have
a favor to ask of you.

What would that be?

About Minoru's health...

Medically speaking, he has a healthy body.

The doctors have told us they can't figure
out why he's so prone to falling ill.

I... Not just myself...

but also the researchers of the Fujibayashi
Clan are all of the same opinion.

The cause of Minoru's delicate
constitution must lie in his Psion bodies.

And what is that you'd like me to do?

I want you to take a look
at Minoru's Psion bodies.

With your Elemental Sight.

Ms. Fujibayashi...

For me to take that deep a look means that
not only Minoru's physical information,

but also his genetic data and even
the Kudou roots would be revealed.

Do you still want to go through with it?

Please.

I'll take full responsibility.

Brother!

Brother!

Brother!

I'm all right. No need to worry.

Tatsuya, what did you see?

We were attacked at the foot of Ogurayama.

There were 13 attackers in all.

Twelve Esoteric Buddhist Ancient
Magicians and one defected tactician.

We handed them all over to the police.

That's par for the course for you,
Miyuki and the Ichijos' heir apparent.

Even if there'd been ten times as
many, they wouldn't have had a chance.

They weren't that easy to deal with.

Miyuki and Ichijo should
get all the credit.

And now, as for what's coming next...

Aren't we going to check out of the
hotel today and return to Tokyo?

I'd like the rest of you to
go back to Tokyo as planned.

I'll be staying one more night.

I plan to go to the police again tomorrow
and ask about the people we caught today.

Brother, in that case, I'll also—

Miyuki, you're the
Student Council president.

Being absent from school at this time
of year wouldn't be a good look.

Understood.

KYOTO

Because you wouldn't stay with
me, Brother, I was quite anxious.

Don't worry.

I was watching you the whole time.

I'd never take my eyes off you.

You're right. Forgive me.

There's no need to apologize.

I know it was sudden, and
I feel bad about that.

I'll be coming home tomorrow for sure...

so lock up tight tonight and go to bed.

Really, now, Brother...

how old do you think I am?

No matter how old you are, you'll
always be my little sister.

Yes, you're right!

All right then, I will do
just as I was told by you.

Lock up with extra care and retire to bed.

Good night, Brother.

It's a little early but good night.

So, this is the place?

No signs of any traps.

Optical Camouflage, huh?

Even if you become invisible,
I can still see you.

Why don't you stop wasting
my time and show yourselves?

Restrain him and exorcise him!

Don't do anything unnecessary.

All you have to do is answer my questions.

Gongjin Zhou was here, wasn't he?

The Chinese magician who fled here...

from the Yokohama Chinatown.

Yes.

Where did Gongjin Zhou say he was going?

To Uji.

He said there was a good place to
lie low in near the Futagozuka Ruins.

All right.

Thanks for your work.

THE IRREGULAR AT MAGIC HIGH SCHOOL
ANCIENT CITY INSURRECTION PART V