Mahou Sensou:Volume1

Novel Illustrations

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  Front and back cover

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  Index

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  Page 19

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  Page 53

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  Page 59

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  Page 123

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  Page 163

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  Page 189

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  Page 263

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  Page 273

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  Page 295

Prologue

"Nii-san!"

Aiba Mui called out as she descended the stairs leading to a dimly lit subway platform.

Though none of the lights in the area were lit, her surroundings were nonetheless covered in a hazy glow.

This light emanated from several small spheres floating around her like balls of flame.

Radiating a soft yellowish light, the three spheres dipped and bobbed as they followed her every movement.

Responding to her call the young man turned his head to gaze back at her. He like she, was similarly shadowed by three spheres of light.

These however glowed eerily with a pale white light.

He coldly turned to face her, clothed not in the uniform she was accustomed to seeing, but rather in a white shirt and jeans.

His lips never broke their silence.

"Nii-san, I've been looking for you for so long. Please, come home with me!"

As Mui neared the youth, reaching for his arm, a sharp pain flashed across her cheek.

Before she knew what had happened she found herself on the ground.

"...Nii-, Nii-san..."

Although she'd already realized that she'd been struck, she raised her head and continued to plead with him.

The youth's only reaction to the scene before him was a wintry smile.

The contemptuous look in his frigid eyes filled Mui with fear.

"...Nii-san?"

Mui, however looked up tentatively with hope.

Unfortunately, the sneer filling her brother's face, an expression she'd never before seen him wear, quickly replaced any such feelings with despair.

His mocking smile suddenly twisted into an angry snarl.

His first words.

"What're you crying for?"

She hadn't noticed the tears.

"Please remember, Nii-san! Remember Mom, and Dad, and me! I refuse to believe you've just forgotten everything!"

Teardrops traced the angry red lines her brother had left on her cheek.

Seeing Mui in this state the youth's irritation turned impetuous.

With hate-filled eyes he drew his saber from its leather scabbard at his waist, and pressed its point between her eyes.

"Are you going to kill me?" Mui asked her eyes still moist with tears.

"I won't kill you. Your abilities, after all, are needed by we <Trailers>. Don't misunderstand, though; I could kill you without the slightest hesitation. And you call someone like that your brother?"

Mui nodded.

"Yes, I'll never give up. I'll do whatever it takes to return you to normal."

At any moment the saber's tip might pierce on through.

However she'd sooner die here to his blade than abandon him.

"Nii-san, I beg you! Come back with me!"

Mui's desperate cries were covered up by an earsplitting thunder, the sound coming from the depths of the tunnel behind the young man.

It couldn't possibly have been a train however.

The station the two found themselves in was abandoned like some desolate subterranean temple, and power had long since been cut.

There simply wasn't any way a train would have made its way here.

Though Mui continued to watch her brother, he had since turned to face the tunnel behind him.

As the sound neared them, it became apparent that it was the roar of engines they heard. He sheathed his blade.

Mui rose to her feet.

The young man suddenly thrust his hand out, seeking her arm, but Mui had already stepped back.

-- It's been so long and so hard finding Nii-san...

She couldn't afford to lose him again.

A motorcycle emerged from the tunnel's lip.

Mui knew her brother was about to be taken once more, but her body refused to move.

Because she understood that her brother aimed to deliver her to them.

If that happened, it'd be all over.

If both of them fell into the hands of the enemy, then any hope of saving her brother would vanish.

That was something she couldn't allow to happen.

-- If there's just one of them...

Seated atop the motorcycle was a lone rider.

As Mui calculated her chances, yet another motorcycle silently appeared from the other side. She'd been caught in an ambush.

Once more she called out for her brother.

"Nii-san!"

She wished her brother would follow her.

She wanted with all her heart to reach out her arm, take her brother's hand, and escape this place.

The sinister smile on his face, making bare his malicious intent, dashed any such hopes to bits.

The two other riders, one in front, and one behind, approached, stepping onto the platform.

Mui's gaze never left her brother.

"Please, please come with me!"

The identities of the two men striding toward her were obscured by the helmets they wore.

Mui's heart was wracked with sorrow at having to part from her brother once more. Nonetheless, she turned and began to race toward the stairs.

A gale struck her from behind.

"Aaah!"

She fell, the sound of footsteps increasing in urgency as she struggled to rise.

She knew what they had done.

Though her palms and knees screamed with pain, she forced herself to her feet and into a run.

Racing up the stairs two at a time, she bit her lip in frustration.

Struggling to hold back her tears, they heedlessly filled her eyes.

She passed through the empty ticket collection counters, and into the seemingly endless dark of the walkway.

Charging up the stairs back to ground level without slowing, she caught sight of the sky, covered in a dusky light.

Though dimly lit, the light was nonetheless piercing to her dark-adjusted eyes, and she squinted in reaction.

Drawing her weapon from its holster, she turned around and pulled the trigger.

A yellow light flashed down the stairwell. Without taking the time to confirm the result, she continued to rush up the stairs before her.

Leaving the voices of the shouting men behind her, Mui wiped her tears and raced across the empty street.

CHAPTER 1: Magic Girl In The Summer

Part 1

One step from the entrance Nanase Takeshi slightly breathed in what remained of the cool night air.

It was a clear sky with no clouds.

It was just after 6:30am.

For an average high school student, it might have been a bit too early to depart for school, but Takeshi, as usual, closed the front gate quietly, and started walking.

The fine white gate of the mansion on the right, opened automatically when he came before it.

“Good morning Takeshi.”

A girl wearing the same school uniform as Takeshi came out from the opened gate and smiled sweetly.

“Good morning Isoshima.”

Takeshi and the girl, Isoshima Kurumi started walking alongside each other.

This was a usual sight.

Takeshi's house was your typical single family detached house, while on the other hand, the house of Kurumi who lived next door, was a mansion called Isoshima Residence, which was famous even in the neighborhood.

That mansion which was surrounded by a wide garden in all four directions, had 5 times more land than Takeshi's house. Seeing the white porcelain gate open automatically every morning, Takeshi could only smile wryly as he remembered the waist high fence at his own house.

From Kurumi’s appearance, you could tell she was an ojou-sama, but to Takeshi she was a childhood friend he had known since they were small.

Today, she had a little bit of her long, straight, chestnut-colored hair tied back. Takeshi who was walking next to her could not help but notice her features, slender shoulders, raised eyebrows with eyes that gave a look of determination, her tightly closed mouth with pink colored lips and elegant chin line. Except for the light pink chap stick she had no other makeup on, despite this, she still had an attractive figure.

If 10 youths of the same age were asked, all of them would agree she was cute, if pressed any further they would all say that she was a rare beauty in a class by herself.

Kurumi, aware that she was being watched, lifted her head to look at Takeshi.

“What’s the matter?”

Takeshi shook his head slightly as he smiled.

“It’s nothing, I was just thinking of how quickly the first semester ended.”

While she looked up at the summer sky, Kurumi’s face broke out into a smile.

“Well, before you even know it, the spring exams will be here.”

“Hmmm, that’s true, though I had a difficult time with the aunts because you didn’t want to attend that private girls school in the city, they were surprised and tried to persuade me to convince you.”

Takeshi shrugged his shoulders at Kurumi pouting.

“I’ll choose to go to whatever school I want to and won’t allow anyone to say otherwise, it really can’t be helped, besides, at this point in time I think it’s fine and my parents also think so.”

Takeshi listened to her repeated assertions. “Is that so?” he asked.

“Yeah, if I were to go to a private school I would have to take a train by myself, wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

Takeshi frowned as he tried to imagine Kurumi alone on a train.

“That is certainly possible if you don’t live close to the city.”

“Right!”

Seeing Kurumi’s happy smile glitter and shine like the morning sun, Takeshi could not help but feel somewhat happy too.

It’s the best feeling to be able to laugh with friends even if it is only one other, however, the moment Takeshi arrived at school his facial expression darkened. There was one semester where Kurumi had no friends, they were in separate classes, but not once had Takeshi seen her together with the other girls in her class. Because Takeshi was in the Kendo Club as a first year he was able to become acquaintances with the third years and befriended several people who were in the same class, even in middle school he had numerous acquaintances. Truthfully, Kurumi was also part of the Kendo club, since she was the only girl she became the club manager and was not actually in an environment where she could make a girlfriend.

Kurumi was a friend, did he need to speak about this no matter what? As expected, he began to feel uneasy, that wasn't good and he felt he should just stop.

In Kurumi's world the only worries she had were to be in the same class as Takeshi, eating lunch with him every day, and to be able to rely on him without causing problems, but while that may be true, she should still make friends, even so, there was no reason for her to say that.

It would be expected that a boy would need considerable courage to interfere with a girl bonding, but maybe that was Kurumi's inner desire. Maybe it would have been better if someone had always been angry. Even so, while walking next to her, Takeshi would send periodic glances her way, it was hard to believe how many times these feelings would be put away. In some respects, Isoshima was a nice and diligent girl.

There was no way for Takeshi to know of her feelings as Kurumi walked like a puppy, waving her hand with a beaming smile.

☆☆☆

Part 2

Most of the other students were in the classroom by the time Takeshi finished his morning training with the Kendo Club.

You could tell which students anticipated the start of summer vacation tomorrow by looking at their bright faces, this somehow made the atmosphere in the classroom quite lively.

“Nanase?”

Takeshi became confused when someone turned around and suddenly called out to him after a few minutes.

“Eh, what?”

“Don’t ‘eh, what’ me, were you even listening?”

Takeshi's desk was surrounded by two other people standing next to it, the guy who greeted him and started a conversation from the seat in front was a fellow classmate and friend. There were three pairs of eyes staring at Takeshi.

“So, is Nanase going anywhere during break?”

“Ahhh…” Takeshi said as a subtle smile floated across his face.

“Now, now Nanase, Ida.”

When the the three other classmates started an uproar, Takeshi and Ida quickly denied it and pretended they didn't see them.

“Just meet their eyes.”

All three came to an immediate understanding.

“Nanase and Ida also seem to have reached an agreement.”

“Certainly.”

“A person who is too serious and a delinquent.”

Of course, the person who was too serious was Takeshi and the delinquent was Ida, hearing them described as such, Takeshi had mixed feelings and could only put on a wry smile.

“It’s not like anything was meant by being too serious.”

However, Takeshi's words immediately denied that.

“No no! Who is the number one most serious guy!?”

All three instantly pointed at him.

“Hey!”

“Well, it’s just a natural result.”

"Haa," Takeshi let out an exaggerated sigh, “Well, at least it’s better than being a delinquent.”

That remark was immediately rejected.

“It’s no good after all.”

“Nanase is trying to imagine a delinquent.”

“It looks like Nanase leads a proper life.”

Un-un, three people nodded their head in agreement.

“What, a proper life?”

With a shocked expression, Takeshi raised his eyes in bewilderment as if to question his friend.

“Huh? So…let me see….”

Another friend urged him to continue.

“Therefore, if you continued to practice Kendo, you could become a police officer and then find a beautiful person to be your wife.”

“I’m sure there are other ways.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Well, I wonder where there will be a beautiful wife.”

“Wouldn’t that be a life of smooth sailing!”

Three people were trying to imagine who would be their wife, Takeshi too, even though he understood it he did not have the willpower to deny it. Besides it’s not like he could, regardless of how many times he repeated it to himself.

“I’ve said everything I want to say.”

As one blind man said “Maybe I will take one serious step in this wonderful life.” The three of them only nodded to each other.

“No no! I am at the limits of envy.”

“It’s seriously enviable.”

“Oh, but didn't you say you were going to Law School?”

So they finally moved to the point.

“In my defense, recently it hasn't been profitable. I may have to keep an eye on it.”

Takeshi was finally able to take a breath of relief as they switched to a different topic. Even so, this phrase “life of smooth sailing” was ironic for him.

After he failed in that unpleasant situation, what's left in life may only be atonement. Takeshi's future was too far away, what he could see in front and behind him was an abyss that spread out in all directions, it was too realistic and familiar that he became depressed.

☆☆☆

Part 3

Takeshi had Kendo practice after the closing ceremony, by the time he started to head home it was already late evening.

After he escorted Kurumi (who was the club manager) home, Takeshi opened the door to his house with a depressed look.

“I’m home.”

In a typical family it is normal to call out when you arrived home, and Takeshi wasn't any different. A bright light was on in the hallway. Next to his mother's shoes was a pair of sneakers that were about his size, further back, in the living room, a shadow vaguely moved and could be seen faintly behind the frosted glass door. At the exact moment that Takeshi quietly took off his shoes, he was startled by the laughter coming from the living room.

He hurried up to his room on the second floor, at the same time he entered his room he heard the voices of his mother and younger brother talking downstairs.

It was about the time for dinner to be finished, after Takeshi helped out in the kitchen he changed his clothes. He was sweaty and wanted to take a bath but it was his brother’s time slot.

As usual, he didn’t want to eat dinner and his mother had probably washed the dishes so it couldn’t be helped that there was no way to kill time.

Takeshi had to be careful every day because he wanted to not face his family as much as possible. It had continued be like that because of a certain incident that happened two years ago. From that day on, for him to stay in this house, he always needed to carry that burden.

Takeshi was a rank holder in Kendo.

It was due to his special skill. If that was sufficient, then he might have had more freedom.

It is up to the family members to deal with their own ghosts.

He began Kendo as an elementary school student, his younger brother and he would go to the Dojo together. Gekkou, who was the younger brother, and Takeshi were born one year apart and were very close to each other.

However, there was an incident that marked a turning point which caused Gekkou to avoid Takeshi, his mother and father also dealt with it in the same way. From that date everything changed, every time his mother saw him she was indifferent, his father would return every day, and his younger brother completely hated him now.

Takeshi could not even remember the last time he laughed in this house.

Just to get along with his family, he had to breathe quietly so he didn't meet anyone.

Because it was all his fault he couldn't blame someone else.

After he changed clothes, Takeshi strained his ears for any movement downstairs. If Gekkou was still in the bath there should a loud sound of water.

He went to the kitchen to eat dinner and then immediately returned to his room.

By the time his brother started to watch TV in the living room he had taken a bath and had already gone back to his room to spend the rest of the time until morning.

Once he got used to this way of living it wasn't that bad.

If he was unable to talk to his family then he can just go to school where there are many more people. How many times has he had this thought? Thinking this, Takeshi leaked out another deep sigh.

“I really wish tomorrow would come quickly.”

He looked out the window towards the Isoshima Residence, planted in the garden there was an unknown broadleaf tree whose leaves swayed in the breeze, a large shadow jumped from the leaves and branches. “What an eerie looking shadow,” murmured Takeshi.

“It would be nice if time would go by faster.”

The tree branches moved slightly as if it nodding in agreement.

“If I could leave this house, anywhere would be better, even hell itself.”

At school, Takeshi is very diligent and sociable, because of this he had many people he considered friends, but at home, he is nothing but a shadow of his former self.

Right now, Takeshi's greatest hope is when dawn breaks.

Summer vacation only increased the unpleasantness of time in his house.

As a result, Takeshi’s summer vacation was always depressing.

☆☆☆

Part 4

It was the second day of summer vacation, and even though there were no lessons, the school was filled with a lively atmosphere from the energetic students who had come here for club activities.

“Takeshi, you’re going to the dojo, right?”

When they arrived at school Kurumi parted with Takeshi to go to the girl’s locker room while he went towards the clubroom.

It was nearly 9:00am, you could hear the encouraged shouts from around the sports clubs which had already started their practices, from inside the school musical notes played by the woodwind club echoed.

Takeshi walked along the side of the clubroom near the sports ground, when a lone student came out from one of the storage sheds and considerably waved his hand.

In fact, even from a distance, Takeshi was quite familiar with this person, so he called out to them.

“Good morning Ida.”

“Yo!”

The person who approached was Ida, and they were in the same class.

As the distance narrowed, an unpleasant sparkle was noticed from his hair.

Spiky, blond hair held up by wax and dressed in clothes that were not allowed to be worn at school.

Seeing that gaudy colored T-shirt, Takeshi wryly smiled.

“It will anger sensei if you wear those clothes.”

Takeshi pointed at the bright red T-shirt while Ida’s face formed a sneer.

“Things like wearing a uniform during a holiday are meant for the military right?”

Takeshi wanted to ask Ida why he was at school during break when he wasn’t a member of any clubs.

“Makeup classes, makeup classes. Is Nanase here for club activities? It must be troublesome.”

“It’s not troublesome if I like doing it.”

It was better than his house and he felt it was more reasonable to be praised for being here, but he kept silent.

For some reason, Ida restlessly looked around.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, if people saw us meeting then your reputation would be hurt.”

“Reputation huh……”

“No, it’s true.”

For some reason Ida felt relieved after he checked his surroundings.

It may seem strange to see these two together, Ida, who by all appearances was a Yankee, and the Kendo devotee Takeshi who is seen as serious when praised and dark-natured when criticized.

Because of his outward appearance, Ida was known as a flamboyant person around school.

That did not mean that there were no other students with dyed hair, many of the sensei did not worry about that. Ida was just unusual because he was assertive and had a fierce presence, furthermore, he had evil looking eyes and used the Osaka dialect, so even another classmate wouldn't readily approach him.

Takeshi was one who rarely concerned himself over such details.

“I don’t really care,” Takeshi said as Ida raised his eyebrows.

“You don’t care!”

“Ida, frankly it’s not the first time I’ve said that.”

“I don't care, people don't care, there's too much of that around.”

Ida frowned as Takeshi complained to him.

“Isn't it that you give off a different feeling instead of actually not caring? That is, you would worry about anybody who was like me. In short, if you weren't like that then you and I would not be talking.”

Heh, Heh, Ida looked away and regretfully laughed as Takeshi shook his head.

“But if that is the case, why are we talking now?”

“That is my slight kindness.”

Ida hung his head.

“Then maybe I should become a free spirit like Ida. I'll dye my hair, wear a T-shirt like that and then it wouldn't be strange for me to talk with you, right?”

Ida opened his eyes wide when he heard Takeshi's suggestion, it seemed like it was a good idea to him.

“Stop! That would be no good! If such a thing ever happened I would beat you on the head in my own way and send you off to the hospital. The T-shirt is one thing, but what possessed you to say your other ideas!?”

“I can probably guess which store Ida bought that T-Shirt from.”

Takeshi pointed to Ida’s flashy red T-shirt.

However, Ida's eyes hardened as he stared at the serious face of Takeshi.

Then, suddenly, Ida let out a relieved sigh.

“Y, you, the way you look when going on about the T-shirt, such a useless point!”

He suddenly laughed loudly.

“Ida?”

“....It...it's no good...you, haha...have an amusing imagination. Heh, heh.”

For a long time, Ida was rolling on the ground laughing. When it finally subsided, he looked up with watery eyes.

“You say you want to look like me but frankly that would be too much and you should just stop!”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah!”

When Ida flatly said that, the sound of the bell could be heard from the direction of the school building.

“Uwah, this is bad! That's the chime ringing, if I’m late I won't earn my credits. Well see you later Nanase!”

“Ah, yeah……”

“Keep that appearance! The T-shirt is out of the question!”

After saying that last thing with a laugh, Ida stood up and ran away.

"So it wouldn't be suitable?" Takeshi muttered immediately and started to walk in the direction of the club building.

When Takeshi arrived at the club building another first year member was already inside changing clothes.

“Yo, Nanase.”

“Good morning.”

The club room was small, it was only 4 tatami mats wide and had lockers side by side along the wall.

Takeshi pulled out his Kendo uniform and started to change clothes.

The other members had already finished changing clothes and had gone to the dojo.

Takeshi began to hurriedly change his clothes when a friend called out to him.

“Weren’t you with Ida a little while ago? I was watching you talk to him.”

Anyone going to the clubroom would have seen them.

It seems even the class next door was familiar with Ida's face, so he wouldn't be surprised if someone knew that Takeshi was speaking with him, his friend just shook his head in confusion.

“That's impossible. After all, why would you speak with Ida Kazumi.”

“He’s not really a bad guy,” Takeshi said as he put on the navy blue hakama.

“Well, you may be right. It does appear that way a little. Though if the sensei saw you together they might say otherwise.”

The Sakuraya Senior High School is a prep school for students who plan on attending university, the moment they are first years, many of them will pay careful attention to their grades.

Takeshi understood that there was a connection between Ida and his grades, he would be really surprised to know that his classmates would say that was exactly why they kept their distance.

To other classes, Ida appeared to be unfortunate.

Ida would pay attention to the sensei during lectures, Takeshi who was also in the same class witnessed it. Still, being together never had an effect on their grades.

“That guy is pretty ordinary, when I spoke with him today he said he had makeup classes. I think, appearance aside, he's pretty serious.”

Takeshi calmly defended his friend and shrugged his shoulders.

"If you say so. In middle school there were rumors about that guy from various people that hung out in front of the station once awhile, they said he got into a fight with another school."

"Did you even verify the credibility of that rumor? Besides, setting aside the fact it's old, you would expect that he would have had to of come back with one or two injuries. As I thought it's simply just a rumor."

Suddenly, after his friend heard that, he covered his eyes with his arm.

“Really, you and that guy,” he said as he mimicked crying.

“What do you mean?”

Takeshi was confused at his idiotic friend's gesture, and had an angry expression on his face.

“No! No! I wasn't disagreeing. Seriously. I failed at trying to persuade Nanase who has amazing ability!”

“You really are an idiot after all.”

“I am not.”

Takeshi was still angry at his friend but he forced a smile onto his face, after a little while the tone was altered to a murmur.

“Even so, be a little more careful. Once you get very involved in something it becomes hard to separate yourself from it.”

Takeshi was amazed when heard that, and he softened his smile.

“Thank you for your concern, but I'll be okay.”

It's not good for someone's health if they are always worried.

“U Uoou!”

“What the heck was that?”

He was surprised by his friend’s sudden outburst.

“As I thought, Takeshi and that guy!”

Ponto.

Lightly tapped on the shoulder, his friend retreated one step, two steps. Then he suddenly jumped back and opened the door.

“Well, I'll be going ahead of you. Since you're the last one, make sure to shut the door, yoroshiku!”

“Oi!” As it was, he needed to quickly run to the dojo. “Taku, it can’t be helped.”

While he grumbled about his heartless friend, Takeshi looked at the clock. 8:57am. He was unlikely to make it the dojo by 9:00am.

If he was late for training, the second year senpais would force him to do the days chores.

He would have to atone in his outfit. Takeshi finished changing his clothes and hurried out of the clubroom.

He started to run under the blazing sun drenched in sweat.

However, several minutes before he got there, he stopped and realized he had forgot something.

“Not good, I forgot a towel……” he muttered as he looked down at his empty hand.

He was dejected at the fact that he had to turn around and go back to the clubroom.

At this time Takeshi had no idea that this choice would alter his fate in a big way.

If he had known, he would never have gone back to get the towel.

Still, the only thoughts inside Takeshi's head at the moment was the fact that he was late and would be forced to do many chores.

☆☆☆

Part 5

Takeshi knew that the senpais would notice he forgot his towel and send him back to the clubroom, in his memories this occurrence was already written that morning.

Takeshi frowned.

He always carefully avoided meeting his family in the morning, however today he had been unlucky. He had met his younger brother Gekkou who was in the bathroom fixing his hair.

Perplexed by this sudden development, Takeshi decided he should greet him, in contrast, Gekkou forcibly pushed him to the side without even looking at him and went to the kitchen.

Unlike Takeshi who had Kendo practice every morning during summer vacation, Gekkou, a third year in middle school, would go to cram school every day. At any rate, because of the time period they had met.

Even if it wasn't summer vacation it was normal for Takeshi to leave at 6:30am because of morning training, however it was very unusual for Gekkou to be awake at that time.

The probability of a near miss and meeting each other was exceedingly low.

Takeshi returned to the clubhouse with a big sigh.

He decided that from tomorrow onwards, it might be better if he was extra careful and left his house earlier.

Even if Gekkou hated him, he still found it hard that even when they met he was ignored. Even if it was his fault. The moment Takeshi grabbed the doorknob of the clubroom and turned it, something shook his body.

“……?”

He had a feeling that he heard something.

“…nega…kete.”

He realized that was a person, they sounded female, but her words were too soft to be audible.

“Is someone there?”

It sounded like it was coming from a different room adjoining the Kendo clubroom. Takeshi tried to open the door for the Judo Club on the left side. The Judo Club’s door was not locked. However, when he looked inside there was nobody there and the smell of sweat caused you to pinch your nose.

“Oi, can someone answer me?”

He knocked on the Volleyball Club's door next, again no voices were heard.

“Was it my imagination?”

Takeshi tilted his head and then returned to the Kendo Clubroom, 5 meters away a door was opened vigorously and a loud sound was heard, he turned around to look.

“……Onega……i, tasuke……”

A person emerged from the shower room and while muttering, collapsed on the ground.

The girl’s black hair was the first thing seen. It had spread gently across the ground as the morning sun brilliantly reflected off like a raven's feather.

She wore an unfamiliar uniform. It was a short sleeve blouse, where the sleeves swelled, there were three navy blue lines that went in. Her excessively slender, white arms extended from there as she laid feebly on the ground.

He quietly approached the girl, she had light pink colored lips which were slightly opened and her eyes were closed.

She looked to be the same age as him. Takeshi crouched down and touched her thin shoulders.

“Um, are you okay?”

The spot where he touched her transmitted a burning heat. If he looked closely, he saw she was repeatedly breathing hard from her mouth. It was as if she had sprinted with all her might. Upon further inspection, Takeshi noticed that her knees were bleeding.

“What should I do?”

Takeshi shook her shoulder again.

“Oi, are you okay?”

However, her breathing steadily became rougher.

“I guess it can’t be helped.”

There was nobody else around to call out to because club activities had already started.

Takeshi grabbed her left arm.

“Can you get up? I'll move you somewhere else where you can lie down as much as you want.”

He found it difficult to stand while he dragged her up.

She had fainted and limply leaned against him.

“Nggggggh.”

It was a risky posture, but he took one step forward, as expected it was harsh. Takeshi crouched once again, this time he put his back closer and pulled her up. Both of her arms loosely dangled down in front of his chest.

Takeshi hesitated on the way he should carry her, somehow he forced himself to stand on one knee.

The girl was short but she had become limp. Because her arms were wrapped around his neck, there was an oppressive weight applied there.

"It's impossible after all, this is a bad way to carry someone."

Using these words as a justification, Takeshi turned around and used both his hands to feel around for her thighs. He put one leg under each arm and once more got up from the ground with her on his back. This was much easier than when he dragged her, however, it would be dreadful if other people saw this situation.

Takeshi started to hurry, he hoped that he would not be seen by anybody else. With this wish inside, Takeshi ran to the school building as he carried this unknown girl.

☆☆☆

Part 6

Takeshi was strangely embarrassed by the heat and weight of the girl, he felt sorry for her and was nervous as he quickly ran until he arrived at the school infirmary.

At any rate, seemingly fainted he suffered from the sound of a long breath from her by his ear.

Funya funya.

Holding her soft thighs, his hands seemed to sink in.

He was dripping with sweat, one could say it was because he was in such a situation and the fact that he ran in a temperature that exceeded 30 degrees. It would not be unreasonable if she happened to wake up and screamed because of the smell.

Takeshi felt relieved when he finally saw the infirmary at the other side of the hallway.

“Excuse me!!”

He skillfully opened the door with his foot.

“Sensei!? Are you here?”

The infirmary was not locked, but the figure of a person was nowhere to be seen.

Reluctant, Takeshi carried the girl in and approached two beds lined up next to each other. He bowed a little and rolled up the futon with one hand.

He turned his back to the bed to let her slide off onto it and unintentionally took a breath.

"Ha, sure was heavy......"

He noticed the clock on the wall and was astonished at the time.

"Ah, crap! Practice."

Takeshi looked down at the bed, the girl laid there face up and her hands were in a position like she was praying.

“This is bad, but I don’t where someone is and I have to go.”

Being anymore involved with this girl is just asking for trouble.

Since the third year students retired after the previous summer tournament, the Kendo club is presently carried on by the second year students whom are even stricter than the third year students.

When Takeshi was just about to leave the infirmary, the girl behind him gasped painfully.

“Uh……uh……”

He reflexively looked back with vaguely trembling eyelashes.

“Are you awake...?” Takeshi walked back to the bed and called out to her.

“…………s, an.”

“Nii……san……”

“Nii-san?”

In an attempt to understand her words, he brought his face closer to hers.

“Don’t go, please don’t go……”

Her hand suddenly moved, she grabbed onto the sleeve of Takeshi’s Kendo uniform.

“Wait, wait a minute.”

He tried to separate from her, but was grabbed firmly and pulled closer.

From her eyes, a clear drop of water became visible, it attracted attention as it ran down the side of her face.

“Nii-san…………don’t go……”

Ha, a sigh escaped from Takeshi’s mouth. In this girl's current state, if he brushed away her hand it would leave a bad taste in his mouth.

"If this is how it goes, 10 minutes late is the same as 30 minutes late huh."

Unable to move his shoulder, Takeshi one again looked down at her.

With her eyes closed, there was a vague impression that if she were to sit up, she would be a fairly cute child. Silky black hair, black bangs of similar proportion on her forehead, and white skin like an infant's. A rounded nose and a small mouth below it gave a childish impression.

Perhaps her features had not changed much from when she was a child.

At that time, Takeshi remembered the feeling of carrying her on his back just now and reflexively stretched his back muscles.

“No, no, no,” he felt dizzy and shook his head.

It seemed that it would be best if he immediately shut out of his mind the lingering sensation of her soft arms and thighs on his back.

Takeshi sat down on the edge of the bed. He wanted to go get a chair, but was unable to because she had seized his Kendo uniform.

“……Nii-san……huh?”

He wondered if she also had a fight with her brother. If so, then it would better for them to reconcile as quickly as possible and not end up like them. Because of his own experience, Takeshi knew that if it went too far, they would be unable to mend their relationship.

Just because they are siblings, it did not mean that they would always unconditionally forgive each other.

Takeshi no longer remembered the last time Gekkou had spoken with him. His mother discussed all kinds of things when the school contacted her for an interview, his father did not say much.

The house wasn’t the same as others and it was constant. Even though Takeshi could be seen with his family, his existence was like a shadow in another dimension.

While lost in thought, Takeshi felt the hand that had gripped him had unexpectedly loosened and he lifted his head up. The eyelashes of the girl lying on the bed were faintly trembling, abruptly her eyes opened, they were big and beautiful.

Treating Takeshi as a peeping tom, the girl got up quickly like a spring.

“Who are you!?”

While saying this, the girl kneeled on top of the bed and took out a black object from the waist of the skirt and pointed it at Takeshi.

“Wh, What….the hell……”

While keeping an eye on the black object, Takeshi also got up from the bed and took a step back.

“Is it a toy?”

However, it was too much of a solemn deep black.

Contrary to being frail, the girl had a sharp light in her gaze, her slender white finger was around the trigger and as she gripped the gun the murderous intent filled the room. With a gun pointed at him, Takeshi became rigid and could only stare blankly at it. The girl’s mind finally cleared up and her eyes wavered.

“Where am I?”

During the brief pause, Takeshi somehow managed to answer.

“Sakuraya Senior High School’s infirmary.”

“The infirmary? Why?”

“Why……”

The muzzle that was fixated on Takeshi’s chest subtly moved, it was an unrealistic situation at first, but he gradually regained his composure even though he still couldn’t comprehend why the girl he saved suddenly pointed a gun at him.

It was inevitable that his sense of reality hadn’t quite set in yet, moreover it was accompanied by a feeling of irritation which grew stronger.

He carried her all the way to the infirmary and stayed near her because he was worried, she then returns the favor by suddenly pulling out a toy that looks like a gun which he couldn't say for certain if it was real or loaded with bullets. Who wouldn’t be offended after that?

“Because you collapsed in front of me previously I was being kind and carried you here.” Takeshi said disagreeably, the girl frowned upon hearing his words.

“You carried me?”

Takeshi who was not used to repeating the same thing, ignored the gun and turned his back on the girl.

At any rate, he was now confident that it was a toy, even if a bullet was fired from it, it wouldn’t hurt that much.

“Because your leg is injured you should get it disinfected first. Come back later and get medicine for it.”

Takeshi started to leave the bed, the girl also rose up from her spot as if deciding whether or not she should go as well.

“Wait!”

However, due to her poor footing on the bed as she rose her body wouldn’t obey her command and her posture broke.

“Ah……”

Takeshi looked back after hearing her surprised voice and quickly held out his arms.

“That’s dang…!”

However, he was not able to slow her momentum as she clung to his arm and stumbled.

“Kyaa!”

“Uwa!”

The girl somehow stopped herself but she broke Takeshi’s balance and the fell down together.

At that moment, something like a thread brushed by his cheek and he felt a warm sensation firmly pressed against his lips.

His eyes opened wide from the strange sensation. Until now he had never experienced it.

It was only for a short while but the girl had fallen down and had her arms placed on Takeshi's chest.

He raised his body and separated himself from her.

Takeshi violently blinked his eyes and reviewed what had happened.

“……Ah……ehmm……”

Before his eyes the girl who still had a hand on his chest started to tremble.

It took some time for both of them to grasp what had happened. The girl was the first one to understand.

“IYAAAAA!!” the girl shouted suddenly.

Then, grasping the gun tightly she turned and pointed it at him and started firing.

It was so sudden that all Takeshi couldn’t even see the flash.

Furthermore there were explosions going off by his forehead and the moment he saw them his body felt like it lost its gravity and he flew through the air and subsequently felt a sharp pain run through his back.

“……Uhh……”

His breath became ragged, he was having a hard time breathing.

He was thrown to the middle of the infirmary, knocked down the desk and then rolled on his side.

"Ouch…… What the hell, this."

Takeshi felt sore, he was confused and didn’t know what just happened, and in regards to the girl she was in a complete panic due to this development.

With her hand shaking and the gun still pointed at Takeshi she dropped down onto one knee.

Her body was trembling and the right hand that was pressed onto her left was shaking, but her stance was firm and the gun point would not waver away from Takeshi.

Takeshi could smell a sweet fragrance where the girl's head had been on his gi and the incredible sensation of her lips remained as well.

With exception of his previous thoughts on reality, everything else faded into oblivion and he felt like he fly beyond the horizon to the ends of the universe.

In an instant Takeshi's current condition was blown away, even though he ached all over he was somehow able move his body and get up as the girl watched him.

She was still frantically grasping the handgun tightly.

Why she had such a thing in her possession, that thing that injured others, he was interested if there was connection between that and why she had collapsed, at the moment that thought was going around in his mind and the scene in front of him was even stranger because of the dull pain felt in his head.

“Hey,” Takeshi called out, but the girl remained silent.

“I, wasn’t I shot at with that gun? Despite that…”

Takeshi put his hand on his forehead.

“I don’t seem hurt here. Why is that?

If it was a real gun, he should without a doubt be dead. However, the girl who is holding the gun is glaring at Takeshi.

“It was a complete accident. Won’t you pretend it never happened? It’s not something we should count.”

Finally, the girl spoke. “How can you even say such a detestable thing? Furthermore, stay away from me!” She pouted and raised her shoulder up like an angry cat.

Takeshi incessantly blinked his eyes.

“Err, what thing is completely detestable?”

However, despite her remarks, she still remembered and in the end she couldn’t deny the sensation.

“What, why? With my mouth!"

“Er, about that……I’m sorry.”

Even though he was trying to apologize honestly, her shoulders were still trembling in anger.

“As I thought, you are the lowest!”

With the gun point shaking while moving up and down, she continued to be angry at Takeshi.

"It can't be helped. That something like this happened for the first time," Takeshi said as he backed away from the girl who had lost her temper.

The girl finally stopped wielding the gun, she gave a suspicious look, and asked a question. “……First time?”

“Ah,” Takeshi nodded.

Even though the girl was still suspicious of Takeshi, she slowly lowered her gun. Then while feeling dejected, lowered her head and murmured.

“……Re, really……It’s also my……first time……”

After she said so in a low voice, her cheeks flushed red because of embarrassment rather than anger.

Because of her shy expression, Takeshi also became embarrassed.

“Go, Good! Now we can pretend it didn’t happen.”

Upon Takeshi’s proposal the girl vigorously nodded her head in agreement.

“Yeah. You agree. Un un.”

She holstered the gun she was holding in between her skirt waist and lower back, then with both her hands she covered her cheeks, as if she was trying to forget while her eyes were tightly shut.

“Anyway……let me see, what is your name?” Takeshi inquired so he could call a doctor to treat the girl’s injuries.

“Don’t have a name.”

“Ah, I see. Then I will call you Kiku. I’m Nanase Takeshi, a first year at this school.”

Then, though she was still troubled she looked up in order to get a further explanation.

“I don't give my name unless I have to because it's not allowed.”

Hmmm, a competition to remain nameless, if that's the case then you can call me Gonba-san. I am Gonba-san the partner for your first kiss.

Upon hearing those words she recalled what happened and in embarrassment tightly gripped her skirt, she averted her eyes and suddenly said her name.

“Mui. I am Aiba Mui.”

Relieved by her answer, Takeshi smiled in return.

“Well, come over here so I can disinfect……”

At that time, Takeshi noticed another abnormality.

“Wha, what, is this!!”

Floating around the top part of the room there was a hazy dust shining.

It was a faint yellow radiance which floated in the air.

“Light……smoke?”

It was light and fluffy and moved up and down, a portion of it fell down in front of the eyes, and gently brushed the fingertips.

Then, it was extremely likely that it was real smoke, it dispersed easily when it touched the fingertips.

Whether Takeshi touched or didn't touch it, it easily collapsed and disappeared.

“……It’s a lie right……What should I do……”

Mui’s voice sounded confused, Takeshi’s line of sight was focused up in the air.

If the shining smoke was observed further, it appeared at first that it was scattered straight lines.

At places where Mui shot at there were straight lined vapor trails, Takeshi was soon drawn to them, and they vanished like before.

Trying to go. That was the feeling.

“I……my intention…………”

Flustered, Mui repeatedly moved her head from left to right.

After the smoke, Takeshi changed his line of sight to her, finally he realized something.

“Something came out from that gun. Pale yellow color……it seems like it was shining smoke.”

“…………I’m sorry, I’m very sorry……I……”

Takeshi supposed that Mui had apologized because she shot her gun at his body.

However, it could be said Mui's apology should be even more profound and heavy. This would be the expectation after recognizing the fact that she had shot at him.

Takeshi had seen the shining line of smoke gradually fade, unexpectedly he discovered another small shining spot behind Mui, and he tilted his head in confusion.

Instead of it being yellow, it was reddish in color.

“What is that, an insect?”

Something fluffy came from the vicinity of the door and it moved up, down, left and right as it approached Mui.

It appeared to be similar to a tiny fly.

However, just a moment ago that same smoke, had faintly shined in a vermilion color.

Attracted by Takeshi’s gaze, Mui turned her head to look back.

And then, the girl reflexively stiffened her body.

“It’s an insect used to search for the enemy.”

Mui’s voice became strained.

“Found you, you can’t escape anymore.”

“Found? Eh? What?”

The girl dashed towards Takeshi who was carelessly standing up in the middle of the room.

“Listen up, quickly get over here!”

Because it was said in such a strong tone of voice, Takeshi involuntarily obeyed.

At that moment, the door abruptly opened and two dark shadows obstructed the way.

☆☆☆

Part 7

Before they could see the person, they heard them.

“This game of tag is finished.”

It was a cold, low voice.

Next to Takeshi, Mui's body pitched and trembled.

“Nii-san.”

At Mui’s words, Takeshi turned towards her with a puzzled expression.

“Nii-san?”

Because of the backlight, Takeshi could not see the face of the opponent and only the silhouette of the man was visible.

The figure was a slender man. If that was all, then one would think of him as the type that could be found anywhere.

However, there was an abnormality.

From the man’s hand departed something that was similar to shining smoke.

A gas which was a pale light blue color like the sky on a clear, sunny day was drifting from both his hands.

“Come over here.”

A man came into the room.

Abruptly, Mui grabbed onto Takeshi’s Kendo Gi.

Because of her excessive use of force, the uniform was being stretched in opposite directions and nearly fell off his shoulder.

“I DON’T WANT TO.”

There was a discrepancy between her voice and speech, despite being frail.

Furthermore, the man’s shadow kept on drawing nearer.

“Nii-san, I beg you……return to your true self.”

Mui cast her eyes downward.

Rather than talking to the man, it was directed towards the floor.

“……Nii-san, you’re not a <Trailer>”

Takeshi could only see the top of Mui's head because she was looking down, the man who was standing in the doorway alternated his gaze between the two.

The man finally replied back.

“How many times I have to tell you? I am not your oni.”

Mui raised her head as if it was repelled and cried.

“Nii-san! I am your......cherished............”

However, her voice gradually went towards the floor.

“<Trailer> overwrote your memory. Why won’t you believe me? My words, you must have sensed a little something in them.”

The man had no intention to reply.

“Tsuganashi, this person continues to be noisy.”

A different voice came from behind.

Another dark shadow stood in the hallway on the other side of the door.

It was a petite and slender shadow.

As the shadow approached Mui's brother, Tsuganashi, it looked even smaller.

For a moment, Takeshi thought the youth was a middle school student.

It was a bony physique with a little roundness, they wore a plain khaki parka and light blue knee length shorts, and their hair was fluffy and in a short cut style.

It was understood she was a girl because of her big eyes and higher pitch of voice.

Her big and wide eyes opened wider as she looked at Mui and Takeshi and then laughed.

However, there was a sneer mixed in with her laughter.

"Let's quickly finish this and head back. It's difficult with color in this close of a proximity."

Saying these words, the girl held onto Tsuganashi’s arm, when Mui saw this her expression distorted.

At the same time, two other men were approaching in the hallway.

Mui immediately interposed herself in between and pulled out her gun.

Scowling, Tsuganashi said some dangerous words.

“It can’t be helped. We'll have to take her with force.”

“Understood.”

“Ok-aay!”

“All right.”

Three people in succession acknowledged his instruction.

Takeshi could not completely grasp all of his surrounding situation.

What was clear, however, was that these people intended to use force to take Mui.

The youth with black hair was Mui’s brother, the other three, who the heck were they?

Then, a familiar looking shining smoke was released from all four people right before their eyes.

The young man known as Tsuganashi, was definitely Mui’s brother, he gave that kind of feeling.

Wet black hair, white skin, and eyes that were similar to Mui’s.

However, you wouldn’t understand why the extent of his attention was so cruel in regards to Mui.

No matter how you look at it, his eyes are not the kind of eyes that you use to look at your younger sister.

Suddenly, for a minute, Takeshi thought about his brother Gekkou.

In Gekkou’s eyes, Takeshi wondered if he saw him in the same way?

No, the eyes of that guy……

The glare from his eyes was tinged with heat and seethed with hatred.

In this way he was cold and heartless.

Four people entered the school infirmary, at the back, a handsome man with a good physique closed the door behind him.

Mui pulled Takeshi and together they retreated to the back of the room.

One of the two men behind Mui’s brother was tall and lanky with drooping eyes, he had bad taste in clothing and was wearing a shirt with a green amoeba drawn on it.

Then there was a question of the last person. He didn’t seem to be too old, but no matter how you looked at it he definitely was not a student in school.

His clothes consisted of a black tank top and similar black straight jeans, he was just a little bit taller than Takeshi.

His arms and chest had thick muscles, Takeshi understood that the man must have done some form of martial arts.

He had piercing eyes and when he smiled his mouth became distorted.

If anyone saw his appearance standing before a convenience store, it would be a most unpleasant meeting and they would want to leave as quickly as possible.

Takeshi did not understand the situation, it would be abnormal if he could.

At first nothing could be seen hanging from the man’s waist.

The leather belt worn around his waist looked normal, however, there was a scabbard affixed with a sword sheathed.

Takeshi had seen a real sword several times before, whether it was fake or genuine, there was a hilt protruding from the sheath.

After he saw those, it was without a doubt a genuine sword.

Furthermore it was not a Japanese sword, the width of the scabbard’s curvature was wide, a trait of a Western sword.

Mui’s brother also wore a similar belt on his waist, the difference was that a narrow sword was hung from there instead.

And then, what made Takeshi the most uneasy was that there were four people who produced light smoke.

Mui produced the same smoke and they all had a different color.

The shoulder bag which was hung on the girl’s shoulder, the sword which was hung on the handsome man’s waist, and the last person who carried an attaché case, each one of them released a different colored shining gas, Green, White, and Red.

Mui’s brother released a shining gas that was pale blue in color from the white gloves on his hands.

Next to him, Mui’s face had reached a state that went beyond pale.

Her hand grabbed Takeshi’s sleeve, right now she needed to calm down and control her feelings, she opened her mouth to say something but no words would come out and remained silent.

Takeshi perceived that Mui had become scared.

Tsuganashi was Mui’s brother, yet he declared he would take her by force.

In other words, they are her enemies.

Next to the confused Takeshi, Mui was simply staring straight at her brother.

There might be a chance of victory against four people, she wasn’t stupid, and right now her top priority was to escape from here with Takeshi.

However, Takeshi had considered something else.

Before Mui could take any action, Takeshi pulled her forcibly behind him.

“Hey, what!?”

Surprised by Takehsi, Mui’s hand was being pulled by him as he started to run to the window in the back.

“Don’t argue with me.”

Immediately, Mui understood Takeshi’s intention.

The door was not an option with them standing there, so his intention was to escape through the window.

The infirmary was on the first floor, so it would be easy to escape through the window.

However, Mui knew that it wouldn’t be that easy.

Sure enough, Tsuganashi drew his saber from the scabbard and turned the edge towards them.

Takeshi did not see him.

However, the moment he touched the window with his hand to open it, a sharp pain like electricity ran through his fingertips.

He immediately let go, but the tip of his middle finger and index finger on his right hand was red.

“Look!” Mui told Takeshi.

It was then that Takeshi noticed it for the first time.

The outer edges of the window frame had been covered in a thick ice.

“Wh, what is going on?”

Because he touched the ice, he felt a freezing pain.

Unlike Takeshi who was trembling, Mui turned around and faced them.

“Nii-san, if you make a mistake you will risk losing your power!”

Three out of the four people were laughing.

Tsuganshi did not laugh and replied back as he sheathed his Saber.

“I was not attacking, I was trapping.”

While Mui was exchanging words with them, Takeshi just stared at the window stunned.

Strange shining smoke from the gun as well as the sword, he somehow understood to this extent.

However, this was clearly different.

This was impossible.

Takeshi turned away from the window and gazed at the men and woman of the four people with a look of awe.

“Y, you......what the heck did you just do?”

It was obvious that the voice he finally mustered was trembling.

“I’ll call someone!!”

Even though it was pitiful, Takeshi thought this much was necessary.

Takeshi thought that even if he did call out at this time nobody would immediately appear, for the time being he had no choice but to maintain the bluff at all costs.

“Tsuganashi, let me handle this.”

The man from before with evil eyes and a good physique stepped forward.

“If I capture that man over there then Aiba Mui will surely not run away.”

He was holding the pommel of the sword hung at his waist.

“That’s fine, but don’t use magic.”

Takeshi heard Tsuganashi tell the man.

―Magic? I have a feeling that’s what he just said.

―Was it my imagination?

Certainly the window’s appearance was abnormal.

Just a little while ago it was a normal window.

Even so, Takeshi thought that there was a logical reason for it.

Science was a more realistic explanation.

However, there was not a single person who could answer Takeshi’s question.

On the contrary, there was no use in trying to repeatedly stab at the questions.

It’s the same even now.

Among the four people the man with piercing eyes talked the most, he was permitted to take action, he squeezed the handle of his sword as he moved towards the middle of the room with Takeshi in his line of sight.

Takeshi had to do something to distract the man’s attention and search for another way to escape.

At that moment, the sun reflected off of a cleaning tool that was left out.

There was no time to ponder on it.

Moving several steps to the side, Takeshi grabbed the broom that was leaning against the wall.

Using his foot, he broke off the straw part of the broom forcibly and was left with just the handle.

He wielded it seriously to ensure there were no obstructions to his body.

Having done that, the broom became a long rod shaped weapon.

“I don’t know what the circumstances are, but no matter how I look it you people are bad guys.”

The moment Takeshi’s posture changed into a stance, the man no longer saw it as a broom but a weapon.

“…………”

“…………”

Takeshi and the man glared at each other, his expression remained undisturbed, but there was an interest showing in his eyes for the first time.

He smiled broadly.

“Humph, how interesting.”

The man laughed as his expression became more brutal.

Mui who was next to Takeshi, watched him become more uneasy when she suddenly hit upon an idea and said:

“Can you stall and give me a little bit of time? I am going to try and open the window.”

Though the ice had completely covered the window, Mui thought that it was still possible so she would somehow figure it out one way or another, Takeshi could only nod his head in agreement.

It was already too late anyways, the man had drawn his sword and was energetically approaching.

Takeshi could see an ominous glint reflected off the drawn sword.

Truly there was a difference from a Japanese sword, you could see it was a thick double edged blade meant to be used as a tool to kill a human and not to just strike them.

You could see it was an absurdly large sword, just measuring it with the eyes it must have weighed at least 2 Kilos, yet the man was only using one hand.

He had a vision of receiving a heavy overhead blow, immediately after that the broom made bishitsu sound and split.

There was no question what would happen when iron and bamboo clashed.

Oddly enough, it didn’t split in half.

To understand, receive and stop it was fortunate, Takeshi shuffled his legs and retreated backwards.

Immediately the man took aim halfway up and thrust.

Parrying it diagonally, even though the sword was longer than the broom Takeshi thrust at the opponent’s side with all his might.

However, it was not very effective and all it did was stagger him a little.

“Hmm, isn’t that nice.”

“It’s unusual to see Oigami pressured.”

He heard some prefatory words from the other man in the door who was his friend turned spectator.

His fury was ignited when he was hit with the broom.

He didn’t really have any intention of slashing, however his hand was hit to alter the trajectory of his attack.

Morever, Takeshi noticed this change however it appeared that Oigami’s friend did not.

“Eat this!!”

Oigami took a large step forward and thrust his sword towards Takeshi.

Takeshi firmly gripped the handle of the broom stick.

Then, he closely watched the trajectory of the sword.

When handle hit the tip, an intense roar similar to a lightning strike resounded.

“Wh……at……”

The man’s expression from earlier turned into one of shock, Takeshi’s hand had not let go of the broom.

There was portion that was split and curved on both sides, but where the broom had pierced the edge a silver color shined.

“Damn you, what the hell did you do?!”

The man tried to shake his sword loose, however it was firmly caught in between and could not be removed.

Takeshi stepped back and searched around to see if he could find something else he could use as a weapon, but of course, it’s never that convenient.

He looked over at Mui, she had shot her gun towards the window.

However, the gunshot you would hear on a TV never occurred.

A vivid yellow color was shot from the muzzle, it hit the window but barely even dented the ice.

It looked like it had barely even come close.

Takeshi threw away broom he had into the trash, he then went back to where he got the broom from and pulled out a mop.

Unlike the broom, part of the handle was made out of plastic.

He couldn’t expect much from the durability of the plastic but it was a situation where he could not leisurely complain.

Takeshi turned around from the locker and in no time used the mop handle to catch the edge of the sword.

The man who had come up right behind him was using all his strength to lean forward and put pressure on Takeshi from above.

They were close enough where they felt each other’s heavy breathing across their face.

The man was not thinking about going easy, immediately after he drew back and once more used all his strength to strike.

In the next moment a confusing scene filled Takeshi’s mind, he moved his hands on the mop to a point where he received and avoided the man’s strike.

However, Takeshi knew that it was already too late.

It would have been easy to avoid if he could twist his stance.

At that moment, another scene was shown.

This time Takeshi was influenced to believe it.

Although Takeshi was able to avoid the previous thrust, the handle of the mop had a split on the section where he hit the back of the man’s hand.

Before Takeshi heard the man groan, he discarded the mop he was holding onto.

The man was no longer armed, the sword which he had let go was falling to the floor.

Takeshi had quickly picked up the heavy sword, he then shouted to Mui.

Takeshi had seen what he had to do.

“Mui, lower your head!!”

Mui looked back when she heard Takeshi’s voice.

The when she saw the sword in Takeshi’s hand she reflexively crouched down.

Takeshi threw the sword towards the window that had been frozen.

It shattered the ice and glass, all the pieces came crashing down like an avalanche, immediately after Mui jumped onto the frame.

The two of them jumped out of the window into the summer day like it was a different world, Takeshi looked back as he continued to run.

☆☆☆

Part 8

The four Magicians had not yet moved.

“Aren’t we going to pursue them?”

It was the voice of the person who had manipulated the insect used to search, Ushiwaka.

Then, Hotaro the only girl pouted.

“That guy was also a magician. Ne~ don’t you think so?”

All four of them had noticed that fact about Takeshi.

Rather, it would have been strange if they didn’t notice.

It was simply impossible for a normal human to avoid Oigami Takao’s swordsmanship.

Even if he was wearing a Kendo Gi, assuming he was that talented, his movement at that time had transcended the limits of ordinary humans.

He should not have known how to avoid.

“Ushikawa, use your flies to trace them.”

Tsuganashi could not answer Hotaro’s question and instead spoke to Ushikawa.

To change a person into a magician is serious matter, but to allow them to escape as well is considered a felony.

“Understood.”

With a nod, Ushikawa put his attaché case on the floor and pulled out a box from within.

“By the way, it’s not a fly, don’t you listen? It’s a butterfly, a fly has too limited of a range. Those guys have probably already moved quite far, from the beginning these insects have been good for long distance searching.”

“Do whatever you like.”

At Tsuganashi’s response, Ushikawa had a faint smile.

“Well then, becaue today is a good day I’ll use a Black Swallowtail. The Black Swallowtail is a good match with Aiba Mui.”

When Hotaro heard that she hugged her shoulders and yelled out.

“Uwa, kimo!!."

A truly revolting feeling from the bottom of her heart could not help but make her grimace at the current situation.

“You really are disgusting.”

“Be at ease, I have no interest in Hotaro as a female. The only females I am interested in are the ones that don’t have a subdued shine.

Ushikawa retorted to Hotaro without even glancing up.

“Are you looking for a fight? Do you want to fight? If so then I’ll give you a good one.”

The shoulder bag that Hotaro had in her hand started to stretch out, Tsuganashi grabbed a hold of the bag.

“Stop it, Hotaro.”

“BUT….”

Hotaro clung to Tsuganashi’s arm and started to protest but was interrupted by Oigamai Takao’s voice.

At the same time the only desk in the room was broken in half.

His sword was lying under the window.

When he removed his fist from the desk, Oigami glared at Tsuganshi.

“That was an Evasion ability.”

Oigami was grinding his teeth in aggravation while Hotaro just ridiculed him as she clung to Tsuganashi’s arm.

“AhAh, he’s a person with same Evasion Magic ability as you. If he didn’t have it then there would have been no way for him to avoid your attacks. What kind of person is he?”

Oigami was resentful, but he slowly started to broadly smile.

It was a wicked smile and anybody who saw it would shiver in fear.

When Hotaro saw it, she squeezed Tsuganashi’s arm even tighter.

“Rather than that, I’m sure you heard that we’re in a school.”

“So it seems.”

On Hotaro’s warning, Tsuganashi turned on his heel.

“Sorry for troubling you. Let’s go.”

“Ha~i.”

Looking back at the room once, Oigami picked up his sword and resheathed it, as he walked out he saw the broken broom lying there.

The tip of the sword had accurately exposed the core of the broom when it hit, Takeshi’s pupil was black. Then when he threw the sword towards the window his pupil was similar to a deep purple color during twilight.

In other words, when he invoked his Evasion Magic Ability his pupil changed to a purple color, it was risky to display its activation, however, he was only human.

As he exited to the hallway he stifled a laugh, because of this knowledge Oigami imagined that it would be easy capture Aiba Mui regardless of the interference from the new magician, he had the desire to meet up with them again soon.

He had a firm conviction that if he fought with that magician again he would emerge victorious.

Chapter 2 – The Collapsing World and Ghost Trailer

Part 1

The gate to the entrance was not locked.

Takeshi felt dejected that his mother was home.

His brother would be at cram school and his father would be working.

The house had been built around 10 years ago, his father worked a lot to buy the place and hardly ever came home.

It was what a person would consider my home.

However, Takeshi couldn’t say it was comfortable in there.

Although Takeshi would be instantly be denied if he brought back any other girl besides Kurumi inside his house.

Takeshi thought it would be better if he didn’t have anyone, but recently his thoughts have changed.

Perhaps if had brought her, his parent’s thoughts might have changed and they would have been able to talk.

Takeshi thought that he might have wanted to see that a little.

He ran away from school with his Kendo Gi, when he got to the entrance of his house he motioned to the person behind to come inside.

Mui looked nervous, it was like she had gone to the house of some unrelated influential person.

Just as Mui was about to go up the stairs, the living room door down the hall opened up.

“Ah, he, hello,” Mui greeted in a loud voice behind Takeshi.

However, his mother’s expression didn’t change.

“Um, excuse me for intruding on you.”

Mui bowed, while his mother who entered the hall murmured “By all means.”

His mother walked by where Takeshi and Mui stood, put on her shoes, grabbed the parasol that was hung next to the shoebox, and quickly left the house.

She was going out to shop in the neighborhood because she had an Eco-bag hung over her shoulder.

Takeshi hid his dejected expression from Mui, went up the stairs to the hallway and took off his shoes.

“Don’t let it bother you. That person, she’s always been like that.”

“Eh? Really?”

Mui had been watching his mother leave, when she heard Takeshi say that, she looked over her shoulder at him.

“Is she your mother?”

“Yeah. That’s my mom.”

Takeshi answered curtly to prevent any further inquiries, Mui slowly closed the door behind her.

“You can go to my room first, it’s on the left side of the second floor, I’m going to get us some drinks.”

“……Okay.”

Takeshi left Mui at the door in the entrance and entered the kitchen.

―It probably appeared to his mother that her son had come home in his Kendo Gi with an unknown girl……

Takeshi took a deep sight with Haa sound.

Takeshi was used to his mother’s indifference and that kind of reaction was good for the people she had never met.

Takeshi shook his head several times to pull himself together, then opened the refrigerator door.

☆☆☆

Part 2

Mui went upstairs as told and entered Takeshi’s room.

His room had an orderly atmosphere and he did not have a lot of possessions.

His bed was by the wall and his desk was by the window. He had a single small bookshelf standing by itself and he didn’t have a single poster or decoration.

Mui had entered his room but just stood there as she did not know where she could sit.

There was only the chair for the desk and she would feel shy if she sat on his bed.

Mui recalled her earlier meeting with Takeshi’s mother at the entrance.

She had facial features similar to Takeshi and perhaps she had felt that cold atmosphere from her because she wasn’t a very sociable person.

―That person, it feels like she had seen her somewhere before……

Mui went across the room to the only window and shut the curtains because it was less likely that they would be discovered by their pursuers.

Almost unconsciously, she sat down on the bed which was carefully arranged.

Then, once again she recalled the face of Takeshi’s mother and became puzzled.

―Was she a celebrity?

―She understood that she was a magician the moment she saw her.

Mui’s shoulders sagged. Her beautiful black hair that was similar to enamel like her brother’s, fell down in front and concealed her face.

“Mou, I really am completely useless,” she said, her voice unintentionally loud.

Just what could she do, she knew how serious the current situation was.

For example, the fact that she will receive punishment no matter what will not change.

She had to somehow save her benefactor, that’s right, there was no use crying, it might be cruel but she could not bear to not tell him anything.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. All we had was tea and cola in the fridge.”

Unaware of Mui’s distress, Takeshi came into the room with a cup on a tray.

“Ah, er. Please don’t trouble yourself with me.”

Looking at the tray that was placed in front of her, Mui looked up at Takeshi and laughed with fufu sound.

“What?”

”Because, you brought both tea and cola.”

Three cups had been placed on the tray.

There was cola in two of them and tea in one.

There were two people, so there was one too many.

“My bad. I didn’t know which one would be good,” said Takeshi with a sullen expression.

Taking the chair from the desk, Takeshi sat down in front of Mui who was on the bed.

“Thank you. Then, I’ll take the tea.”

Takeshi watched Mui take the cup and put it to her mouth. He then said:

“That uniform……”

“Eh?”

“Nah, it’s just that, I don’t think I have ever seen that uniform before.”

“…………”

Mui looked down at her uniform.

It was a navy blue short sleeved blouse with three lines on the sleeve and a green plaid ribbon on the chest. Her legs extended from a dark blue pleated skirt and the socks were self-designated.

“I don’t think I am familiar……which school is that from?”

Mui shifted her gaze away and Takeshi shook his head.

“No, it’s fine.”

Mui felt that Takeshi wanted an explanation but he wouldn’t pursue it any further.

She felt sorry, but she had considered the fact that she didn’t want to get him involved any further.

Mui wanted to leave things as they were, part from Takeshi here and return to her own world.

But, even if she wanted to, that was no longer possible.

Mui quietly returned the cup with its contents half drank to the tray.

“Have you seen it yet?” she asked.

“What?” Takeshi asked back.

“Have you seen…………like this?”

Mui stood up and pulled out her gun, and immediately shot it.

“Knock it off!”

Takeshi fell backwards out of the chair he was sitting in.

One centimeter away a wind traveled by his ear which made his body shudder.

Light vigorously hit the wall, and with a bachibachi sound it scattered.

But when Takeshi looked back at the wall, there was not a single scratch on it.

No bullet had entered.

The bright yellow flash that had been fired instead, seemed to have been charged with electricity.

When it scattered in all four directions, the small flash of lightning branched and then disappeared.

“As I thought, you can see it.”

Mui’s voice clearly sounded disappointed.

“I saw it. It had an aura similar to light.”

“It’s a special type of particle.”

Mui tucked the gun in her skirt, and sat down again.

Takeshi who sat opposite of her diverted his look.

“I guess I should give you an explanation.”

Takeshi was annoyed that she abruptly discharged her gun, but aside from that it looked she had resolved herself about something, when she suddenly looked at him straight in the eyes for the first time, Takeshi started to feel uneasy.

He didn’t want to hear anything.

Not about their pursuers, not about her uniform, not about her gun, and not about all the supernatural phenomenon, it was one thing after another.

But, that did not stop Mui from talking.

“It’s a particle that can only be seen by a magician.”

“That’s what you say!” Takeshi stood up from his chair and yelled out in order to reject her words.

Still, she never once turned her gaze away and stared straight at Takeshi.

“Even I found it unreasonable to give you an explanation. But, it’s impossible otherwise.”

Takeshi folded his arms and looked away from her.

“I am a magician.”

Mui said that much too readily, almost as if she was saying something simple like “I am a high school girl.”

“The guys who were chasing me are also magicians.”

Takeshi did not feel like listening.

Just now she acted foolishly, if that was the case then maybe he should consider that she wanted to return somewhere.

“You know, I really did not want to hear anything at all, you were being chased and I thought you just wanted to bring someone along with you, it’s okay, however, you just wanted to return home right?” Takeshi who was turned away, asked her in a tight tone.

“Did I not just say that a little while ago? Weren’t you listening?”

“…………”

“I told you that the aura or smoke you saw before was a special particle that only magicians can see. In other words, you also bear the burden of being a magician.”

Before, Takeshi would have been able to reject everything including her words.

“My bad, I really am troubled by this. I want to be able to stay home.”

“Then listen properly!”

“I, am not religious so therefore I don’t know what kind of solicitation to give.”

“I’m not religious?”

“For generations my family has been Buddhists. Well, they are only Buddhist when it comes to funerals. Besides, no matter how you look at it, there doesn’t seem like there is any money here. Well, the house is two stories, but we’re just barely getting by.”

Takeshi started unilaterally speaking about unrelated things, Mui standing up, forcefully grabbed Takeshi’s shoulder and tried turn him around to face her.

“Listen to me seriously. I am trying to make you aware of the fact that you can use magic!”

Takeshi looked over his shoulder which was forcefully grabbed closer.

“…………Is something the matter?”

“When you threw that sword towards the window at school the color of your pupil became purple.”

Mui’s face was earnestly coming closer.

“Ba……bakabakashii. If you are seriously saying that, then you are quite messed up in the head.”

In an attempt to escape from Mui, Takeshi shook off her hand and separated from her like there was a disease.

Mui bit her lips tightly and glared at Takeshi.

“Wh, what?”

Takeshi tried not to be overpowered by her gaze and glared back at her, once again she approached him with her hand on her chest.

“If I do this, then whether or not you like it, you might start to understand what you can do.”

In that moment, Takeshi’s body was gently lifted off the floor a few centimeters.

“Uwa!!”

A few seconds later his feet which had been separated from the floor were returned.

“No…… No……No way…………!”

“You can also do this.”

Mui let go of him, there was not a hint of an expression that said she was lying.

Instead, she awkwardly hung her head in shame and then suddenly kneeled down in front of Takeshi.

“I’m sorry.”

Her head had touched the floor.

Surprised by her sudden action, all Takeshi could do was look down.

Once again, Mui bowed down into a position like a cat.

“I really am sorry!”

After Mui said that, she slowly looked up and saw that Takeshi was bewildered.

With tears in her eyes, she said, “I changed you into a magician.”

There was too much remorse in her voice for her to have been joking.

Mui’s voice and facial expression, along with the fact that both her fists were trembling told him everything.

Somehow, Takeshi couldn’t bring himself to throw her out of his house, his original intention was shaken by her earnestness.

“I didn’t think something like this would happen. Truly. It was not my intention to cause trouble for everyone. But……I just wanted to bring back Nii-san.”

Tears had accumulated around her eyes and large drops began to fall onto the carpet.

It became painful for Takeshi to watch her, with a big sigh, he sat down in front of her.

There wasn’t a single guy who could throw her out after listening to her, watching her bow her head in apology, and then crying.

With a reluctant tone Takeshi said, “Maa, I don’t quite understand what’s going on, yet I will still listen to you.”

From Mui’s eyes tear drops continued to fall.

She squeezed her eyes shut with all her strength in order to resist crying aloud. It was so pitiable that Takeshi faced away and said, “If you are crying when you ask I can’t hear you properly.”

“I’m not.”

There was a reply, but it had become nasally.

No, she was still crying.

Her retort was as expected and Takeshi could only nod his head.

☆☆☆

Part 3

“Magicians aren’t born naturally.”

When she had finally settled down, she sat on the bed and said that.

“From the start, all humans possess a very miniscule amount of magic power. But as they grow into adults it becomes weakened. It’s approximately around the age of 25 when the pores which release magic power are closed and they can no longer become a magician. When a child comes into contact with magic power, the cells are stimulated and the pores open up in the body and they can create magic. In other words they become a magician.”

“You don’t possibly mean…………”

Takeshi suddenly understood something that had occurred to him.

It was at the school infirmary when Mui fired her gun.

“Right. When I shot at you with my gun your body was stimulated. In other words, I believe you became a magician at that time.”

Astonished, Takeshi just stared at her.

“As you saw shortly afterwards, among the people who had come was my brother.”

“That person was Tsuganashi?”

The tall, scary man with black hair, Takeshi was murmuring.

“Un. That was my nii-san. But, he’s different now.”

Mui said in a sorrowful tone.

“His memory has been changed by <Ghost Trailer>”

“Ghost……?”

“<Ghost Trailer>. ‘They are a spirit vanguard’ and are referred to as a community.”

When Takeshi heard Mui’s quiet voice, feelings of curiosity helped him calm down.

Sitting in front her shoulders were small and slender, with her head hanging down, Takeshi outstretched one hand a little bit.

Takeshi was still hesitant to believe Mui.

It didn’t matter what kind of person Mui was, after coming this far, he had to listen to the end, that much had not changed.

“They are trying to undermine the ideal of a magician.”

Mui had regained her composure.

That did not mean that her feelings of guilt towards Takeshi had vanished, after this Mui would have to face the reality of this issue.

“When you first saw magic, were you afraid? Or were you not afraid?”

Mui asked, Takeshi did not interrupt.

Then, Mui gave a small nod, as if it was natural.

“It’s generally the same reaction when a person sees magic. Scared, startled, because they don’t understand it, they reject it. Then, it would immediately change to anger and disdain. Since ancient times humans have always been afraid of Magicians, so it was decided that we would hide our presence. However, there are people who do not think this way. They are in <Ghost Trailer>.”

If one were to speak of the existence of Magicians, then Takeshi would not have believed it.

However, he had decided to not interrupt her story anymore.

For now, he would let Mui tell him everything and afterwards he would think about it.

“The Magicians desire a peaceful coexistence with humans. I am the same. In order to facilitate this kind of relationship, Subaru Magic Academy, where I study, forbids the use of magic in front of the human public.

“……Magic, Academy?”

“Yeah. It’s a school for Magicians. This is their school uniform.”

Takeshi remembered the magic school in a certain fantasy movie he had seen.

No matter what, it was impossible for him to just accept it as reality.

“The academy is managed by an organization called <Wizard Breath> the largest community. There are several communities, a Magician can select one of them in accordance with their own ideology and way of life. Among them <Wizard Breath> is a prime example of those who express peaceful coexistence with humans. They held negotiations with government over in this world and were allowed to set up a school.”

“This world?”

“Right. This world. Subaru Magic Academy is located in the Collapsing World where there is another Tokyo.”

“…………”

Honestly, there was a limit.

Several times he saw Mui use magic, but to declare that there was a Magic Academy and another world, it’s not like he was agreeing with a child.

“Somehow……your story is beyond absurd……”

Noticing that Takeshi was dumbfounded, Mui had a wry smile.

“Yeah. It’s probably difficult to suddenly accept everything at once. But, I wanted to share it with you because you are a Magician. I couldn’t just go and leave you behind without saying anything.”

“You must be joking. I have nothing to do with this.”

“That was before. But it’s different for you now.”

Mui stood up slowly.

“<Ghost Trailer> came after me because I was trying to bring back my brother, but now I think they will also be targeting you.”

“What do you mean?”

“They should have realized that you became a Magician as well.”

Takeshi looked up at Mui who was standing in front of him, the two of them stared at each other.

Takeshi saw himself reflected in Mui’s pupil, he couldn’t say that his face didn’t look exhausted.

With a small sigh Mui said,

“When <Ghost Trailer> captures a Magician they alter their memory to make them their comrade. Nii-san was probably the same way, after all it would be impossible for Nii-san to agree with their ideology.”

“Wa, wait a minute. Then why would those guys chase me?”

Mui stopped Takeshi and continued her story.

She told him about the present situation between her and her brother.

He couldn’t believe what she said.

She couldn’t understand what their reasons were, or why they would aim for her……

Nevertheless, Mui readily bowed her head.

“Yeah. Once you are caught they erase key memories and then replace them with others.”

It’s like gasping for breath after an impact.

Why did she grab his shoulder and cry, Takeshi wanted to give Mui a final warning, but he couldn’t do it.

"No matter how unpleasant it is for you, I want you to come with me. I have no choice but to protect you.”

“Protect me huh.

“When you get captured by <Trailer> you lose yourself. I want you to follow me. You may dislike the fact that you have become a Magician, I do too. That’s why, I beg of you, please come back together with me.”

With a deep bow Mui pleaded.

“…………Please.”

Mui remained bowing, Takeshi could not tell her to get out.

Why had it become like this?

While he still didn’t believe everything Mui said, it was true that she was currently being chased by those guys.

Among the things Mui had told him was that those guys were also chasing him, because of his encounter with them earlier, he could safely say that this was a realistic fact.

With a look of half resignation on his face, a sigh was mingled within his words.

“So based on what you have said, what is my best course of action?”

With a look of triumph on her face, Mui slowly surveyed the room.

“Do you have a large mirror? Something like a full length mirror.”

“Mirror? There’s a big one in the bathroom.”

Takeshi had a puzzled look on his face, he wondered why Mui would ask such a thing.

“Before that, you had better change your clothes, your appearance looks conspicuous.”

Takeshi still wore his Kendo Gi.

Takeshi wanted to say he knew that without her suggestion but for now he changed his clothes.

During the time he changed, Mui waited outside in the hallway.

Takeshi changed his clothes to a T-shirt and a pair of cotton pants and walked out of his room to where Mui was.

“Well, let’s go. To the place where only Magicians can go.”

Downstairs was quiet because his mother had gone out.

Takeshi informed Mui of the location of the bathroom, she had taken their pairs of shoes from the front door and then stood in front of the mirror that was in between the washing machine and the bathtub.

Takeshi stood beside her.

Mui and Takeshi were reflected in the mirror, as usual it looked like just a pair of high school students.

If they had been in the same class, Takeshi probably would not have talked to Mui even after a year, he was usually never seen with any girls nor did he ever talk with them.

However, whether it was the large eyes with black pupils, small raised nose, the slightly reddish tint of her round cheeks, and her tiny and tight mouth, she was quite lovely and left a nice impression.

She was the type that young men secretly dream about.

Takeshi became aware of this after seeing Mui in the mirror.

Under her slightly long bangs, dignified black pupils stared straight at the mirror.

Mui’s hand was on her waist, she pulled out her gun.

Takeshi stepped back involuntarily.

“……No way, that gun……”

It was unexpected, immediately following she rose up.

Mui turned the muzzle around and shot at the mirror without hesitation.

From the gun, a distinctly yellow shape erupted like a destroyed battle position, a yellow particle collided with the mirror at lightning speed.

The particle rebounded, then scattered and dyed Takeshi’s view in yellow.

“It’s connected.”

No sooner had she said that, she stood on top of the sink and without looking at the mirror took a deep breath and jumped in.

“Eh!?”

When Mui jumped in and disappeared she caused ripples on the surface of the mirror, similar to what the surface of water would have.

Takeshi cried out in wonder and involuntarily staggered backwards.

“Wai, how can she enter? It’s got to be a lie!”

He timidly stretched out his hand and touched the surface of the mirror a little bit, once again silver ripples appeared in a vortex like drops of water had hit it.

“Hyaku! If you don’t pass through it will close on your body halfway.”

Mui’s voice came through from the other side.

“Bo, body halfway……”

Takeshi released a gokuri sound with his throat.

His heart beat was fast and audible.

―To tell him to jump……

―Still, he could not completely take in the situation, and being told to go……

Takeshi was puzzled, that being the case, all he could do was raise himself up onto the sink.

It was unexpected, Magic and an Academy……in another world……

A person’s common sense would label it as absurd.

Mui’s voice was calling out on the other side telling him, “Hurry.”

Takeshi put his foot onto the sink, he tightly closed his eyes.

He did not what to believe anymore, he still didn’t understand a single thing.

His eyes certainly saw something resembling supernatural phenomenon, that was magic, the science that he always believed in had no explanation.

The exception would have been what Mui said.

However, Takeshi did not distrust Mui, concerning her brother she had on such a sad expression when she talked about him, she was not acting and the gloomy expression on her face was not a lie.

It was hard to believe in magic and another world, but her frank desire to regain her brother reached Takeshi.

Takeshi imagined that he would bump his head on the mirror and while his knee was still in the sink he would get thrown to the floor.

It would be real painful, he might crack his head.

Still, he had to go, with his jaw tightly clenched Takeshi jumped into the mirror.

☆☆☆

Part 4

Two hours ago, before Takeshi had passed through the mirror.

The Kendo Club, Judo Club, and Karate Club conducted club activities during summer holiday in the underground gymnasium’s dojo of Sakuraya Senior High School.

Recently as a countermeasure to heat stroke, it had been decided that it was necessary for practice to be held in the morning.

At the end of the dojo that had been divided into three areas, the Kendo Club was about start practice.

“Oi, what is Nanase doing?”

A haughty, second year student who had become the club president half a year ago questioned the first year who had just barely made it on time.

“I just came from the club room.”

The first year student who was also Takeshi’s friend, replied to the club president who had scowled.

“He’s late.”

The bamboo sword he held in his hand made a bishitsu sound when he slapped it into the palm of his other hand.

To correct the club member who had slacked off on his training, the president led their practice with a fiendish expression.

To somehow avoid his wrath, all the club members started to move quickly.

Meanwhile, Kurumi who stood alone by the wall was puzzled.

“That Takeshi, I wonder what you’re doing.”

Kurumi was the Kendo Club Manager, she had walked to school with Takeshi this morning so there should have been enough time for him to make it to practice.

Be that as it may, Kurumi would usually wear a jersey, but today she was wearing her uniform.

After she verified the time on the clock which was hung on the dojo wall, Kurumi calmly decided to leave behind the situation.

If Takeshi was delayed in changing his clothes, then she would have to go towards the locker room in the clubroom and tell him to hurry up.

However, when she had left the gymnasium and had walked through the school’s grove of trees, she was unexpectedly greeted by someone from behind.

“A, ano! Isoshima Kurumi-san!”

When she looked back over her shoulder, she saw a handsome male student with a good physique wearing a Judo Gi.

“That’s right, who might you be?”

“Ah, I, I am……that is……”

The boy with a sparsely grown beard started to squirm and was red in the face.

“It’s the middle of club activities, if you’re not in a hurry, can we leave this for later?”

Kurumi’s cold attitude gave the feeling of ‘you should go away.’

“Ma, matte!”

“Kyaa!”

Kurumi flung off the hand that had grabbed her shoulder.

“Sawara naideyo!”

Being glared at like that any male student would flinch twice.

“Gomenasai!”

Hiding both his hands behind his back, the boy drooped his head down, Kurumi let out a sigh.

“Haa, what is it?”

“I, I, always thought before that Isoshima-san was a bea, bea, beautiful person.”

“I see.”

“Ah, I, I am Endou from Class 7. You probably don’t know me, I just joined the Judo Club.”

“So what?”

Kurumi had to look up at the male student, she only came up to where his nose extended from.

“Li, li, I like you!! Please go out with me!”

Before the boy who was red in the face and looked like he might suffocate from nervousness, Kurumi never changed her expression, on the contrary she bluntly declared:

“I am going out with Nanase Takeshi in Class 2.”

However, the male student raised his face and denied it outright.

“I know that! But I also heard that you are pretending to go out with him.”)

Kurumi’s mouth slightly twitched.

“Who said that?”

“Eh, well that is…………”

“Takeshi and I are properly going out.”

“Is that so? But.”

Little by little resentment started to surface on Kurumi’s face, but he failed to notice it.

“Besides, even if I wasn’t going out with him, I wouldn’t go out with you.”

“Why not? I am taller than him and I think I have a better body build.”

Kurumi stomped her black loafers on the ground and scraped the surface with them.

“It looks like you don’t understand. I have no motivation to be part of ‘Beauty and the Beast’.” )

The male student blinked his eyes.

“Eh? That……”

After Kurumi finished saying that she turned her back on him.

Her derision was plain to see.

“I’m saying I won’t go out with just anyone. Well, I have to hurry.”

Leaving the dumbfounded Judo Club member behind, Kurumi quickly headed towards the clubroom building.

This was an everyday occurrence for her.

I like you, I love you, I want to go out with you, I’ve fallen for you and want to go steady.

She could say there wasn’t a great difference from before when guys approached her.

“Disgusting, really. All men besides Takeshi ought to go extinct.” )

Irritated, Kurumi moved in a half jog, when she got to where she could see the club building she happened to see the school gate beyond and tilted her head in doubt.

“Takeshi? What situation……”

Even though they were quickly leaving through the gate, she had this feeling that it was Takeshi.

Moreover, he was holding the hand of a girl.

After Kurumi quickly glanced at the Kendo Club building, she changed her direction towards the school gate.

☆☆☆

Part 5

The senior high school Takeshi and Kurumi attended was around 20 minutes walking time from the neighborhood they lived in.

Takeshi was fortunate no other girl saw him leave the school, Kurumi hurriedly chased after them but for some reason the two of them were desperately running away and she could not catch up to them.

Yet it was still morning, Kurumi felt like she was going for a midsummer run, by the time she would get to her house somebody would be waking up.

“……I, I don’t beli……eve this……”

Haa, haa, she was breathing quite heavy and needed to take rest, she put her hands on the fence surrounding her house, suddenly she felt crowded.

“In the end, Takeshi returned home, just what is he doing?”

Nevertheless, she wanted to press a question on Takeshi, somehow she stood up and stumbled her way over to the gate in the middle of the fence.

Kurumi’s house was called Isoshima Residence in the neighborhood and was a mansion.

Someone came out of the residence, she was an oba named Kayo and she had been their maid for many years.

“Ara, ojou-san. What a quick return home.”

You could see that she was holding a dust pan and broom in her hand, afterwards she went around the area and started cleaning.

However, Kurumi adjusted her breathing there and just passed by.

“Gomenasai, Kayo-san. I am in a hurry.”

As she approached Takeshi’s house she straightened her back.

She did not want to let Takeshi’s family see her staggered and out of breath.

“At any rate, that girl……I wonder who she was……”

The girl who was together with Takeshi bothered her.

Kurumi had only seen her profile for a moment, but it was a girl she did not know.

“Ahh, mou”

Her thoughts were all messed up, she just couldn’t agree with it.

As usual, she just needed to hear Takeshi out.

Kurumi rang the entranceway’s intercom.

A loud sound was heard twice.

Kurumi waited for a little while but there was no answer, she pressed the intercom again.

She waited, but there was still no sign of anyone coming out.

Unpleasant thoughts rose to the surface of Kurumi’s mind.

All of his family was out, but she was certain Takeshi ran here with the girl.

―It was possible that he was in a situation where he could not come out.

She rang the intercom several more times.

But, there was still no answer.

“Just what are you doing Takeshi?”

Kurumi went to the front porch without permission and knocked on the door.

Kurumi had a relationship with Takeshi’s family since primary school.

Although she hesitated a little, she grasped the doorknob and easily opened the door.

“It’s opened……”

Kurumi quietly looked inside, she checked for Takeshi’s shoes by the entrance, they weren’t there.

The girl’s shoes were also not there.

“I wonder if he did not go home.”

Even so, it would be impossible for him to leave without locking the door, she loudly shouted towards the second floor.

“Takeshi, I am coming in!”

She had the belief that even if nobody was home, they would not get upset at her for entering without permission.

She politely took of her shoes and arranged them, then she went up to the second floor.

She was familiar with Takeshi’s room, she went to it but it was empty.

“Nobody……is here?”

But, she knew someone had come.

There was a tray placed on the carpet with cups on it.

“Takeshi, where are you?”

The curtains had been closed, she quickly pulled them open.

From there she could see the garden of her house.

However, Kurumi saw something else she had not expected.

There were two men floating in the sky and looking at the window.

“Kyaa!”

The window suddenly shattered in front of Kurumi, she involuntarily screamed as the glass fell down.

She put her arms up in front of her to protect her face.

Kurumi was prepared for the broken glass to hit her, instead her arm were hit by lumps of something else and felt no pain.

Together with the summer heat, the men came in through the window.

A man with a good physique and evil looking eyes grabbed Kurumi’s arm and made her stand up from her crouched position.

Kurumi slightly opened her eyes and saw that the man’s muscles stood out from his big arms and thick waist.

She saw a sword hung from his leather belt.

“I’m sorry, did I injure you?” Inquired another man who came in through the window after and peered at her face.

He wore a green shirt with a creepy amoeba on it.

“Ohh, it’s a bibin-san,” the guy said in admiration.

Kurumi looked at the man who had grabbed her again.

From the front she timidly looked up at him.

The man did not look at Kurumi.

His gaze was presumptuously scrutinizing the room.

“Hanashite!!”

Kurumi tried to shake off the man’s arm and he easily let go, now he looked down at her with a terrifying expression on his face.

“Were……you guys……flo, floating…………”

She saw it with her own eyes and she could not believe it.

Kurumi could brag that she was a realist since her childhood.

She didn’t watch anime or fantasy movies.

She was not manipulated by the opportunistic adults.

However, she had never felt the fear she did now.

Two people who were human, floated through the window from outside.

The glass from the window that had shattered was scattered throughout the room.

She did not know what the cause was.

Kurumi took several steps away and placed some distance between her and the two people.

The men searched around the room, they opened the desk draw and examined the closet.

However, they did not find what they were looking and once more their attention returned to Kurumi.

The man lowered his waist for the sword and came closer.

“St, stop……don’t come any closer!”

Kurumi fled to the corner of the room, almost immediately her arm was caught again.

“Itai!” Kurumi screamed when the grip was tightened.

“Where are those two people?”

“Two people?”

When she heard that Kurumi asked in return but was interrupted by another voice.

“Oigami, Ushiwaka, that’s enough. Let’s go.”

When she looked, another man had floated in through the window.

It was a man with black hair, he looked a little older than the other two.

Kurumi’s arm was released, the two men turned around and were about to exit through the window.

At that time, Kurumi was in low spirits, she reached for the hem of the pants of the man who had grabbed her arm and pulled on them.

“Wait just a minute!”

Anger had overcome her fear.

Kurumi slapped the man on the cheek with all her might when he looked over his shoulder.

“……This woman.”

The man ferociously bared his teeth, he raised his arm.

Kurumi stared back at him defiantly.

This Isoshima Kurumi was different.

She wasn’t like the old Kurumi.

She was hurt and she wasn’t going to accept it meekly, she believed that she was not a weak person.

She recalled the many times before when she was unilaterally attacked and then ran home and how she thought that it was fine, she strongly disliked that kind of person.

Even if she hit him with all her strength and then was retaliated against she would have no regrets.

The mouth of the man formed into a thin smile when he raised his fist above his head.

“Heh, what a strong-willed beauty, but this is reality.”

He swung down his arm.

“It’s not like I hate you or anything.”

He pretended to turn his back on Kurumi and immediately walk away, however the man quickly turned around and Kurumi received a strike on the nape of her neck.

“……Ah…………”

Her vision blurred and she collapsed onto the floor.

Kurumi felt the short fur of the carpet brush against her cheek as she simultaneously lost consciousness.

CHAPTER 3: SUBARU Magic School in The Mirror

Part 1

There was a long corridor at least ten meters wide that had no windows. Its length was no more than two hundred meters, and on the wall on each side were huge one-piece mirrors that ran the entire length of the hallway.

"It's amazing, the mirrors run the entire length of the hallway." Takeshi exclaimed.

The mirrors along the hallway stretched behind him beyond the horizon to become a single point.

"This is where all the students and teachers of the Academy come and go." Mui commented, and then began to walk forward.

Takeshi stood admiring the mirrors in awe, but after a while he turned around and ran after Mui. They passed through a white door and then came to a crossroads where Mui crossed to the right and then went down some stairs.

The place certainly had a school-like feel to it; there were white walls and each hallway was very wide and spacious. However, everything was so quiet that anyone would doubt about the presence of any person in the place. Takeshi also went down the stairs. There were flowers planted along an outside path that led into the building.

From a distance, a classroom could be seen, but no one seemed to be there. Meanwhile, Mui remained completely silent as she guided Takeshi to a certain place in the building where they finally stopped.

"Excuse me, I'm Aiba from first year...."

The door opened, and when Mui looked inside, a woman's voice greeted her.

"Aah, well. Come in..."

Mui and Takeshi entered the room. That place was about half the size of a normal classroom, and there were several stainless steel desks placed in front of each other.

"Aiba-san, you ran away from the Academy, didn't you?" that woman said, appearing from behind

"I'm sorry..." Mui said, apologizing to the woman and then turned to look back with a bitter smile.

"You're very stubborn..."

The woman, who was dressed in a formal gray suit, had a very firm chest and legs. All of her seemed to be brimming with youth. She was about the same age as Takeshi's mother, her eyes were sharp and you could tell she had a good physique. At that moment, she shifted her point of view from Mui to Takeshi and said:

"Now, the real problem is you. Ajaa... I see..."

While examining Takeshi from head to toe, he approached him.

"E-ee..."

"Write down your name and address."

The woman went back to one of the desks after handing him a sheet of paper and a pencil.

"Excuse me?"

"Quickly!"

Confused, Takeshi received the items the woman handed him and after pressing the pencil against the sheet of paper to begin writing, he turned at Mui and she nodded. Takeshi then reluctantly set about writing what he had been instructed to write. When he finished, the woman snatched the paper from him and then opened a drawer and took out a tape measure.

"Good, now take off your clothes..."

"Huh?"

"Quick, get undressed!"

As Takeshi was too slow, the woman grabbed his shirt.

"Hey... Wait, please!" Takeshi exclaimed.

However, the woman didn't wait and took off his shirt. Takeshi's upper body had been quickly undressed. Mui's cheeks flushed and she suddenly didn't know where to look, so she focused her gaze on the corner of the wall.

The woman had forcibly removed Takeshi's shirt, so with mouth tightly closed Mui stood stiffer than a statue as she stared at the wall. Then, the woman made her hold Takeshi's shirt which was still warm.

With the tape measure in her hand, the woman took Takeshi's measurements so fast that it didn't even take her a minute.

"This is the order for your uniform, go with this paper to the store..."

With red cheeks, Mui handed the shirt back to Takeshi. And they set out to do as they were instructed.

"What is all this?"

Takeshi, despite having received the paper, wanted to inquire, but immediately the phone in front of the woman rang.

"Hello?, Subaru Magic Academy Office..."

When the woman started talking on the phone she made her voice higher pitched, and Takeshi let out a sigh and watched her. She started talking on the phone about subjects that were taught at the Academy: "Basic Principles of Magic", "History of Magic", "Study of Charms", "Study of Territories"... All of those were subjects he had never heard of before.

"Yes... Yes... Yes... Understood..."

Takeshi hadn't put on his shirt and had continued to watch the woman talking on the phone, until she finally hung up. Then she turned around and looked at Takeshi who was still there and frowned.

"Are you still here? Come on... go where I told you to go. Aiba-san, please take him with you."

Standing next to him, Mui, took the paper from his hands and quickly urged him to put on his shirt. Takeshi, who was half naked, deduced that staying there would not solve anything, so he proceeded to put on his shirt, and them, the woman began to complain.

"Geez, why do i have to be so busy? Now it turns out there's another transfer student. Let's see... Isoshima... Kurumi."

With his shirt half on, Takeshi exclaimed:

"Isoshima...!?"

He quickly finished putting on his shirt and asked:

"Excuse me .... Did you just say, Ishoshima Kurumi?"

"Yes, that's what I said. Looks like she's the other transfer student, do you know her?"

Takeshi was puzzled, for he no longer knew how many surprises he had been in for that very day.

Part 2

"Are you all right, miss?"

"Mmm..."

Letting out a seductive voice, accompanied by heavy breathing and her shiny brown hair spilling over the sheets, Kurumi used the back of her hand to rub her eyes and began to get up.

"This is... Takeshi's room?"

She recognized it at a glance. The room felt rustic and was smaller than it needed to be, so it was obvious that there were things piled up in one corner. From where she stood, she saw a man who was not Takeshi, who was standing up.

"Who are you?!" she exclamied.

She looked around a second time, and made sure that the place she was in was Takeshi's room, but he was nowhere to be seen. Kurumi thought that the man in front of her was too suspicious so she made a disgusting gesture.

"I'm really sorry, but i had to use the bed without permission," the bespectacled man commented. He appeared to be almost thirty years old. And when Kurumi finally noticed something, she said:

"It's Takeshi's bed..."

"I see... So it was it a bad idea to use it?"

"No... it's ok..."

When she understood that what the man meant, was that he had laid her down on that bed, her face turned a little red. She had sat there many times before, but she had never laid down before. Suddenly her chest began to throb, but then she asked a question to the man who had his face turned away from her.

"Who exactly are you?"

The appearance of the room seemed normal, the only unusual thing was that man standing there, so it was normal that she did not understand what was going on. That man standing in front of her had a okappa haircut and wore completely round glasses and, even though it was summer, he wore thick white tuxedo.

"I apologize... My name is Hitouji Makoto, and i am a Special Examiner of the <Wizard's Breath> Comunity, and also a teacher at Subaru Magic Academy.

"What did you say?" Kurumi interrupted coldly.

"I mean, that i'm a Wizard..."

"I've heard enough, do you think i'm stupid?"

"Oh, that's not what i think." replied the man, bowing exaggeratedly.

Kurumi, who was still sitting on the bed, looked at him coldly. Then she realized that she didn't remember how long she had been lying on Takeshi's bed, let alone how long the man had been standing there.

"By the way, if i remember correctly... i was attacked by some strange men." Kurumi said, associating the men from before with her loss of consciousness.

"So you remember? They are part of Ghost Trailer, and they seem to have affected you unexpectedly."

"..."

In addition to Kurumi's cold stare, pity began to show in her, as if she was pitying that foolish and pathetic man.

"I think you're misunderstanding something. Do you think i'm a preschooler or something? Do you really think a high school student would believe a story like that?" Kurumi replied, with graat heat and judging the man.

"But..."

"That's enough! What you have to do right now, is to get as far away from here as possible." Kurumi exclaimed, pointing to the door.

However, he doesn't pretend to have the intention of doing that.

"That kind of reasoning..."

The man tried to speak, but Kurumi, once again, interrupted him.

"Just at this moment you are a stranger who has broken into this house, and on top of that you are a person full of lies. That's more than enough reason for me to call the police. Do you know what that means?"

Kurumi quickly reached into her skirt pocket, and pulled out her cell phone to show it to the man. He just took a step back and shrugged his shoulders. It seemed that high school girl was very arrogant. The man regretted his asignament and wished to leave, but he couldn't because it was his job. So, in order not to show hostility, he raised both arms and began to speak:

"We are still investigating whether you are a wizard or not. But if it turns out positive, you would be the second person to become a wizard this day, besides Nanase Takeshi, so you must cooperate."

When Kurumi heard that name, her eyes widened.

"Takeshi?"

"Excuseme?"

"You said Takeshi, right? that's what you said? Nanase Takeshi?"

Kurumi didn't know how many surprises she had gotten that day, but it was more than clear to the man, that her attitude had softened considerably when she heard Takeshi's name, so she nodded a lot.

"That is correct. On the other hand, your arrival at Subaru Magic Academy was already appointed so it's inevitable. All the formalities for your transfer have already been settled and you has been accepted as a basic level wizard.

"And Takeshi...? Is he already in that academy?"

"Of course..."

"So you've come to take me there?"

"Well, we're still investigating if you've become a Wizard..." The man answered.

Then Kurumi stood up quickly and said:

"Well, then finish that investigation quickly. I want to meet with Takeshi, I want to hear what he has to tell me."

The girl's facial expression had changed completely. She was facing the man insistently and had a bright and well-marked smile all over her face. She had full confidence that, upon meeting with Takeshi, everything would be resolved as if it was the last move one makes during sword practice.

She was showing a smile at that moment, but nothing described better what she really felt, than the thorns underneath a beautiful rose, as, inside, she was hiding a fierce anger. Who was that girl running with him while they were holding hands? She wanted to hear an explanation directly from Takeshi. So, at that moment, that was the most important matter for her.

Part 3

Through the halls of the Academy, Mui was leading the confused Takeshi. The fact that the woman in the office mentioned Kurumi's name was disturbing to him. However, a few moments ago they had just received a satisfactory explanation, a textbook had been noted on the paper along with other things that were also part of the application for the store.

"Where are we going now?" asked Takeshi.

then Mui stopped walking and said:

"The next stop is The Principal's Office"

Then she quickly turned to forward again and continued walking. So far, Takeshi had been following her unconditionally, but his patience was reaching its limit.

"Hey, wait!"

Takeshi grabbed Mui's arm and pulled on it. Then Mui stopped again.

"It's the Transfer process." she said clearly.

"Aah!? What transfer?

"Don't worry, everything is arranged so that there won't be any discrepancy between the magical world and the other side."

Then Takeshi angrily replied:

"That's not right! You are involuntarily transferring me."

Takeshi's anger was in stark contrast to Mui's carefree attitude.

"Now you have the responsibility of being a wizard and you can't refuse. You can no longer attend an ordinary school."

"Responsibility to be a wizard? You say something like that because it suits you and..."

"Mui..." she replied, interrupting Takeshi as she grabbed his arm and looked him in the eyes.

"Huh? what do..."

Confused by what she said, Takeshi stopped talking and then she repeated:

"My name is Mui..."

"..."

"I think i didn't introduce myself properly at the infirmary."

"..."

Takeshi's anger subsided, and his shoulders slumped.

"I understand. So... You are Mui..."

"Yes?"

Being called her name, Mui flashed a smile. Takeshi slowly loosened his grip on her arm, felt dizzy, and quietly said what he truly felt:

"I think after all, I want to go back..."

The corridor was silent and his voice echoed loudly everywhere. Mui kept quiet and soon after that silence, the girl looked down and replied:

"I'm sorry..."

It was just for a while, eut her voice cracked within that silent atmosphere.

"I'm really sorry."

She apologized again, and for a moment her eyes became very serious, making the gloom increase.

"I didn't want to ruin your life like this."

It looked like Mui was being tormented by those words. Takeshi frowned, raised his face and stared straight ahead keeping quiet.

She continued:

"In spite of everything, I know that my life would not be enough to make amends for what I did to you. You are a wizard now and you must accept that responsibility."

He needed to be informed that he should be prepared for anything, including death.

"I'm not asking you for anything like that," Takeshi replied, shaking his head in puzzlement.

"I'm so sorry, Nanase-kun."

To keep saying that was useless, so Takeshi let out a sigh, pulled himself together and said:

"Call me Takeshi..."

Inevitably, a bitter smile appeared on Takeshi's face, and then Mui breathed a sigh of relief.

Part 4

The principal's office and the teachers' lounge were located on the second floor of the Academy building, side by side. Unlike the teachers' lounge, where adults could be heard chattering, the hallway was completely silent. Mui knocked on the principal's office and, after waiting for an answer, opened it.

"Excuse me..." said Mui as she entered, her voice instantly lowered.

"Aah, come in, I've been waiting for you two..."

However, the tone of voice she responded with was quite unusual, as it was a soft, high-pitched voice, similar to that of a small child. Tilting his head as he followed Mui, Takeshi remembered that this was the principal's office, but unexpectedly saw a middle school student girl.

There was a full set of couches the reception area, and at the back of the room, near the window, was a huge desk. However, the person sitting at the desk was not a bald old man in a Tanuki belly as expected, but a silver-haired girl. Her hair matched the tie she was wearing next to her sailor-style uniform.

Underneath the desk could be seen his small brown loafers slowly swinging back and forth like pendulums. Either because the chair was too high or the desk was too big, but her feet did not touch the floor while she was sitting. Cause of the laptop she kept open on the desk, her face could not be seen, however, judging by her body size, she did not look like a high school student, but a middle schooler.

"Mui, do you think it's right for that girl to be sitting there?"

When Takeshi asked that, for some reason Mui opened her eyes wide and laughed ~Fu ~Fu and with a smile replied:

"Don't worry about it, just take a seat over there."

Mui quickly walked with him to the couch and sat down. Although Takeshi thought it was strange, he sat down next to her. Meanwhile, the girl was moving the mouse on her computer and for some reason, it groaned as she manipulated it. Takeshi thought that the principal would be angry if when he came back he saw the little girl touching his computer and doing what she wanted.

But, because Mui feigned ignorance as she sat there, Takeshi was left calmly take a pick the interior of the office. On the wall, the usual pictures of all the principals who have gone in succession were nowhere to be found.

Takeshi looked at the nearby area with great interest. Then the little girl let out a sigh and leaned back in the seat. Then, casually, she jumped off the chair and approached the two of them who were sitting on the sofa. And then, facing them, he began to stroke the back of the sofa in front of them and said:

"Well, Aiba-kun. Looks like there will be double punishment for you."

Hearing that, Takeshi was surprised, and turned to look at Mui's face sitting next to him.

"I'm sorry"

Mui apologized, following out of the corner of her eye the movements of the little girl, who then nimbly jumped over the backrest and sat on the sofa.

"Maybe i should make you spend the whole day apologizing?"

"..."

Mui bowed her head and her hair spilled down in front hiding her face. And, even though the girl was smiling at Mui, her gaze was very piercing.

"Well, i always seem to be talking to myself, since my warnings are always falling on deaf ears. You're not a little girl anymore, you know."

"..."

Takeshi stared at the girl scolding Mui. Perhaps because of the way she spoke and acted, it was logical to come to a certain conclusion that at the same time seemed impossible. Then the little girl continued:

"I have told you on many occasions that it is dangerous to leave the academy and the community and, being a student, I thought you were aware of that. You must be aware of how serious the consequences of your actions are."

"Yes..."

As Mui bowed her head in agreement, silence hung in the air for a moment. While he had been listening to the two talking, Takeshi hadn't been able to say anything, but at that moment he had found the opportunity.

"Excuse me..."

It was at that moment that the girl's gaze fell on Takeshi for the first time.

"What do you want...?" she asked.

The girl, who looked like a middle school student, watched Takeshi with her large light brown eyes that seemed to pierce through him as if trying to peer into his innermost thoughts.

With a strange feeling in between, Takeshi said:

"I've been wondering about something for a while"

"really? And what could it be?"

"Are you... are you the headmistress of the academy?"

Takeshi showed a bitter smile as he said what he was thinking. Then the girl looked at him with a beaming smile.

"That's right, i know i haven't introduced myself yet. It's a pleasure to meet you, and welcome to Subaru Magic Academy. I'm the headmistress Shijou Momoka.

Puzzled, Takeshi unconsciously shook her outstretched hand which was small.

"I knew it..."

Normally anyone would be surprised to see something like that. That girl, who didn't even look like a High School student, was actually the headmistress of the academy. Either way, that was something surprising. Takeshi could only avert his gaze from the headmistress's bright smile, and with a bit of difficulty he spoke:

"Excuse me, but... I want to make it clear that I have no intention of transferring to this place."

Unconscious of his attitude, Takeshi was determined to go home and have nothing to do with strange things ever again. From his side, Mui interrupted the conversation, hoping to do something about Takeshi's absolute refusal.

"Excuse me, Takeshi-kun, but you don't know all the details yet. You can't make a decision so lightly."

Seeing the bitter expression Takeshi had towards the headmistress, Mui quickly got up from the sofa with a worried and guilty expression.

"Really? Well, until someone else i'm waiting for arrives, you and I will talk some more," the headmistress replied to Takeshi.

She then stood up from her place and quickly walked to a stop a short distance away. She then took out a capped pencil that he had tucked away in a breast pocket of her sailor uniform.

"First of all, I want to tell you that this world is not the same as the one you are used to living in. Although they look the same, in reality they are very different from each other. Let me show you..."

Despite her appearance, that little girl was the headmistress of the academy, and as she pirouetted with her pencil, twirling its cap and passing it between her fingers, she kept flashing a smile. Consequently, because Mui had gotten up from her seat, Takeshi also did the same.

"Do you see this pencil...?" added the principal, showing him the pencil she was holding in her hand. At first glance it may look like an ordinary pencil, like one you can find anywhere, however....

The headmistress removed the cap of her pencil, and as soon as she did so, a darkness pierced reality and assaulted Takeshi's eyes. That darkness devoured the light completely and his vision was submerged in it without being able to see absolutely nothing. That darkness was total, and it was so heavy that it had made him feel as if he had fallen into the depths of the ocean, where the sunlight is no longer able to reach.

"What the...!?!

Mui looked away quickly to avoid that effect, but Takeshi was slow and had to press his hands against his eyes.

"I'm sorry, it seems that the control i have over my own magic has weakened."

Although he wasn't able to see the headmistress, her voice sounded like a lament.

"It's over... you can open your eyes now..."

Takeshi had to blink several times, and fearful at first, he was reluctant to look until he finally confirmed that Mui could clearly see the headmistress and looked up. From the place where the darkness emanated from the pencil, a black light was now being emitted that had become smaller.

It was a black sphere about two or three centimeters in diameter that was emerging directly from the tip of the pencil. In fact, before Takeshi saw that, he already knew that it was the magic particles possessed by all wizards.

Mui's gun emitted vivid yellow particles, but the headmistress's pencil emitted black particles. At that moment, the headmistress swung her pencil from left to right as if drawing in the air.

"It's this way..." she said, approaching a wall where she subsequently drew a line.

"H-hey..."

Takeshi noticed that what she had scribbled on the wall disappeared in a few seconds. Beside him, Mui reached out her hand and shook her head in the hope that her gaze would convey the message to stop protesting.

Using her pencil, the headmistress drew a line on the wall from the height of her feet to as high as her arm could reach, and immediately began to draw a horizontal line to the right at least a meter long, then down again with another vertical line to the ground. Black magic particles could be seen at the ends of that line. Then the headmistress recited a few words:

"<BLACK DOOR...>"

turning around, she walked away from the wall and commented:

"This spell is part of the Systematic Magic in which i classify myself, which is called Black Magic. Every Wizard belongs to a different type of Systematic Magic. In my case, i am able to use a spatio-temporal change magic ability peculiar to Black Magic. Of these Systematic Magic , there are six categories in total, plus singular magic that cannot be categorized as the above."

As she spoke, Takeshi was surprised by what he was seeing, as the graphite particles inside the line began to spread inward, staining part of the wall's surface black.

"Please, Aiba-kun," Headmistress put the cap back on her pencil and put it in the breast pocket of her uniform while talking to Mui,

"Please be so kind as to explain to us the different types of Systematic magic categories that exist."

-Yes, Headmistress. The six categories of Systematic Magic are: Evasive Magic, Illusory Magic, Destructive Magic, Black Magic, Acceleration Magic and Biological Magic. Then there is Singular Magic."

"I see you remember them all. Very well... very well..."

The headmistress nodded her head, while Mui threw a little tantrum saying:

"Headmistress, i'm not a rookie. Of course I remember them all."

Mui was annoyed because she thought the headmistress was underestimating her.

"Really? However, even rookies know that leaving the academy is dangerous."

"..."

Mui could not argue anything in the face of that logic, and kept quiet. As expected, the headmistress was actually upset. So, once again, feelings of guilt returned to Mui's heart. As she stared at Mui, the headmistress spoke to Takeshi:

"Nanase Takeshi-kun, there is something you should know. This world is currently in a constant state of war. Although the board of directors of this academy is affiliated with <Wizard's Breath>, they are a trustworthy community, and the official position of this academy in the war, remains completely neutral."

For a moment, Takeshi's piercing gaze focused on the black particles as he tried to concentrate as much as he could on the rectangular shape the headmistress had drawn on the wall. The particles that were on the wall, became lumpy and formed a huge black mass. Then, without caring whether Takeshi heard her or not, the headmistress continued speaking:

"To avoid giving long explanations, this community, which is on the side of ordinary humans, is opposed to another community that defends, first and foremost, the supremacy of Wizards. For that reason, both communities are in constant confrontation for the control of Tokyo, a dispute that has lasted about sixteen years. And because both sides have defended and strengthened each other, the battle is becoming increasingly difficult and has now reached a stalemate.

That rectangular mass of black particles didn't look like it was going to move from its post, so Takeshi finally turned his attention to what the headmistress was saying.

"Although i say it has stalled, that doesn't mean there is a ceasefire. Leaving the academy facilities is extremely dangerous. <Ghost Trailer> is a community that has currently been engaging in capturing wizards, therefore, our community might as well attack any student who wanders around there alone thinking that she has become one of them, don't you think so, Aiba-kun?"

Mui, who was pressed to answer, nodded her head and said:

"That's right, Headmistress..."

At that moment, Takeshi wanted to express his surprise that she was Headmistress. Only part of what Mui had told him had become clear to him.

The outside of the academy was dangerous, and for her sake, headmistress was being reminded of it over and over again. Even if she was looking for her older brother, she couldn't just walk out of the academy.

The headmistress knew about Mui's brother's situation, and all the wizards at the academy knew about Aiba Tsuganashi: a high-class wizard belonging to <Wizard's Breath> comunity and an outstanding user of Destructive Magic who was able to oppose any fire magic with his ice magic technique <Evil Ice>. And now, that same Aiba Tsuganashi, had betrayed <Wizard's Breath> and joined <Ghost Trailer>. By the time they found that out, it was too late. Many of the wizards who were captured by Aiba Tsuganashi never returned.

"Hey, what's a community?"

Takeshi, who had been listening distractedly, posed that question to both of them. He sensed that the headmistress was hiding complicated feelings behind her smile. Also, without knowing the circumstances, Takeshi sensed a strange atmosphere around Mui, who did not want to leave her brother.

"Communities are groups formed by people who share the same ideals," the headmistress answered quickly.

"<Wizard's Breath> is the predominant community, and although there are communities that prefer to remain neutral, most of them are on our side and share with us the same idea that wizards and ordinary humans should coexist. Most of the students of this academy are already affiliated with <Wizard's Breath>. And later on, you too will be able to become part of a community which will be very helpful in getting a job.

The headmistress winked at Takeshi coquettishly, causing him to be surprised.

"Contrary to the ideals of <Wizard's Breath> is the community known as <Ghost Trailer>. They adamantly claim that wizards have been discriminated against by ordinary humans and want to dominate human society. Because most of the members are wizards who come from the same family lineage, they are very powerful, but more than that, they are wizards who are willing to use any method to achieve their goals."

"Is this academy safe?" asked Takeshi, who had begun to feel uncomfortable in the place.

Then the headmistress nodded with a smile.

"It is safe. The community has deployed strong protection magic around the perimeter, but the <Trailers> still don't attack this place."

"Why?"

"Think a bit from the perspective of a Trailer. Don't you think it would be easier to recruit a fellow graduate? Since this is an academy where they teach magic lessons, by doing it that way they no longer have to go through the whole teaching process to get a well-trained partner."

Finishing the conversation, the headmistress turned her gaze to the wall where a moment ago she had drawn something.

"Follow me, I'm going to show you something interesting..."

Headmistress pressed her hand against the black part of the wall. Inmediatly, from a part of the black particles a strange figure emerged. It was like some kind of emblem with characters he had never seen before, which faded away after a moment.

Then, the director added a little force in her small hand and pushed the black wall, which began to turn clockwise as if it were a revolving door. Her hand stopped the door midway and she turned to look over her shoulder, inviting them to follow her.

"Is that Magic too...?" Takeshi wondered.

Mui shyly walked forward to where the headmistress stood, and Takeshi started to follow them, but his feet stopped abruptly. He had been surprised by what he saw behind the door, and slipping, he stopped just before walking through it.

From there he could see the sky, and beyond was a cluster of buildings that looked like they had been there for a long time. However, the door was located in a strange place. In front of it, the headmistress seemed to be standing on a glass floor, so Mui turned to look slightly, and motioned to Takeshi.

After swallowing a little, Takeshi advanced and walked in the same place as them with utmost care. The headmistress nodded when she saw that Takeshi had finally caught up with them and said:

"Good... now look behind you."

Takeshi timidly turned to look as the headmistress had instructed, and saw a huge building standing nearby. Takeshi immediately recognized the building.

"Is it the Tochou building?"

"Exactly. That's Tochou, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building."

Right in front of their eyes, the two towers of that building began to approach them, as they were floating in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. Normally, in order to see that part of the building, he had to look up and arch his neck as far as he could, hoping not to hurt himself. However, that view of the building was right in front of Takeshi's eyes.

"That means this is where..."

Takeshi had already realized that they were floating, but he hadn't realized the height, until he saw his feet and then he became dizzy. He was at a height of at least a couple of hundred meters. He then turned his gaze again the building and noticed a small rectangular section of the wall of the building, which had a black rectangular cutout. Takeshi realized that it was from there that they had exited.

"Huh? But... the inside is..."

"Is the Academy located inside the building?" Takeshi wondered. Remembering that from inside the principal's office and from the corridors Mui had led him through, the academy's facilities looked just like any other school's.

"The interior was converted into the Academy..." commented the headmistress indifferently.

"So, that means... it's really the Tochou building?" asked Takeshi with admiration.

Then the headmistress laughed a little and then, flashing him a smile, replied:

"In this world there are no ordinary humans, only wizards. Therefore, there are no public employees in the building."

"Not even one?" Takeshi insisted.

"No one... Now look."

The headmistress held out her arms and Takeshi looked.

"You don't see anything strange here?"

She stepped forward and began to turn around with her arms outstretched as if she was showing him the whole place. Mui just silently watched the interaction of the two of them. Takeshi glanced in all directions from the Tochou building and replied:

"It's so quiet... are there really no other people here?"

On the other side of the Tochou building, the greenery of Shinjuku's central park could be seen. Suddenly, Takeshi realized something and changed the direction of his gaze. He turned to face a group of buildings with a tense look. Using the Tokyo Tower as a reference, he tried to look for the sector where his house was located.

However, what should normally be seen from that point was missing. The whole area seemed to have been devastated and there was very little left of what used to be there. Collapsed buildings everywhere, overturned vehicles on the roads, the trees that should have lined the streets were in pieces and the surface of the ground was covered with a black soot.

Beyond could be seen the clock tower that belonged to Sakuraya Academy, which appeared to have been blown up in an explosion. Part of the tower had collapsed and exposed the steel inside the concrete. The entire school itself had been mercilessly destroyed and there was no sign of life. There was no sound of the characteristic bustle of people in the city, no car horns, no ventilation systems in the buildings.

All that could be heard was the cawing of crows standing on the few trees that were left standing in the central park. Takeshi's body shuddered when he saw such a scene. It was something he could never have imagined and he was completely stunned to see, in such a state, a place he knew.

"These are the consequences of the battles that have occurred in this place. They are irreparable scars left by a war that has been going on for 16 years," commented Headmistress, staring in the same direction as Takeshi and added:

"This is a space where time has been distorted. Everything you see is Tokyo, and at the same time it is not..."

Those words from the headmistress had been harsh, and Takeshi thought it was hard to believe that what he was seeing was actually Tokyo. The principal turned her gaze away from the devastated area, and looked in the direction of Yoyogi Park. All that was there was dense foliage.

"About a year before you were born, a war between wizards broke out on a large scale. I think they'll teach you more about it in History of Magic, but let me give you a brief summary: a wizard with incredible powers tried to eradicate all of humanity from the face of the earth.

The headmistress spoke with total indifference.

"With a Singular Magic spell, capable of annihilating more than six billion people."

Although Takeshi was listening to what she was telling him, he thought it was unrealistic and sounded just like those fantasy stories he had once read. However, thinking about the possibility of the existence of such a great power, capable of killing six billion people, made Takeshi curious and a desire to hear more entered him. The headmistress seemed to have noticed that, so a wicked smile emerged on her face and she continued:

"Yes, a power capable of killing six million people, which came from a single man. For that reason, the most powerful wizards, in order to save ordinary humans, used their magic to divide the world into two parts."

"Split the world in two?! Is that possible?" Takeshi asked, interrupting the headmistress involuntarily, provoking a wry smile from she.

"Well, I know it sounds like too fantastic a story. Maybe I should put it another way: it wasn't really the world, but something like time."

The headmistress looked down, and fixed her attention on one of the street trees just below her feet and said:

"Do you know the World Tree?"

"No, I don't" Takeshi replied, shaking his head.

"Explaining to you how the time axis behaves in the world is like talking about a tree. For example: it was the case that you met Aiba-kun today, however, there should be a different option. One that would create a parallel world where you did not meet her. Right now you find yourself here, as part of a future where it did happen. Always the time axis ends up branching that way."

The headmistress joined her hands and continued:

"The wizards split the time axis creating a second world. One where that wizard succeeded in eradicating humanity."

As she explained, the headmistress separated her hands in a motion similar to forcibly splitting an apple. She opened her palms and then quickly closed her right hand tightly. Takeshi quickly realized the matter at hand.

"That means that this world is...?"

The headmistress nodded her head at Takeshi's deduction and said:

"This is that parallel world?"

Until then, Takeshi understood why the whole place was completely desolate, but he still couldn't say that he knew everything. The headmistress did not question whether or not Takeshi understood the matter and continued:

"This world was created by force, and for that reason, space-time has been distorted. Somehow Tokyo has resisted, but some time ago it was discovered that the sky has begun to collapse. Eventually this world will disappear. However, wizards are only able to fight here."

"Huh? But..."

Takeshi recalled the moment when Mui was attacked, but the headmistress gave him a brief explanation.

"Strictly speaking, you can't attack using your Systematic Magic within the world of ordinary humans. You can use basic magic while there, but if you attack another mwizard, you will lose all your powers. This rule is valid for all communities including <the Trailers>. They all have that same restriction equally.

Takeshi didn't understand how such an agreement worked, but nodded his head anyway.

"So this place is necessary for the war?"

"That's right, because this world was forcibly extracted from the time axis, no one is restricted here. This will be the stage where our community and <the Trailers> will have their final battle....

As she spoke, suddenly an electronic sound rang around the hadmistress. Then she pulled out a cell phone and began to talk. Takeshi shifted his gaze and focused on Mui, who was a bit distanced.

She was still wearing her navy blue summer uniform and her hands and knees were covered in scratches. She appeared to be distracted, staring in one direction. Her countenance, seen in profile, was like that of someone about to cry, but far from that, she looked rather angry. Takeshi had already gotten used to being with her, but at that moment it felt as if he was looking at her for the first time.

She inhabited the world she was in and was used to it. From her gun holstered in the girth of her skirt, to the yellow particles that fell from it fluttering as if dancing, they made her fit in completely with that environment. When Mui realized she was being watched, she turned to look at Takeshi, but at that moment the headmistress called out both of them:

"Well, it's time to go back. It seems that the other student we were waiting for has arrived."

Takeshi averted his gaze as Mui began to approach. He had finally understood that she was a real wizard. And the impression she gave was that of a person with an unbreakable will and a firm heart to face her adversary in battle.

Part 5

When Takeshi returned back inside the office through the black door the director had created, he passed the couch and exclaimed:

"Isoshima!?"

"Takeshi!"

His childhood friend Isoshima Kurumi, had been waiting sitting on the sofa, but she quickly got up as soon as she realized he had arrived.

"I knew they meant you, Isoshima. But... what are you doing here?"

Kurumi, who was still wearing the Sakuraya Academy uniform, stared at Takeshi and as they both stared at each other, Mui asked:

"Do you know her?"

"Y-Yeah..." answered Takeshi without taking his eyes off Kurumi.

Until that moment, he had remained doubtful about Kurumi's name being the one he had heard in the previous office. But now that he had her standing in front of him, his surprise had been great, for there was no doubt at all. Kurumi looked at him for a while as if she had been examining him until she noticed the presence of Mui who was standing behind him. Then she made a slight grimace.

To Takeshi that was a clear sign that Kurumi had just gotten into a bad mood. Takeshi and Kurumi had known each other for about seven years. They were just fourth graders when the Nanase family moved into the neighborhood and started living with their neighbors from the mansion next door that belonged to the Isoshima family. Since they were both the same age, they used to send them to school together and did many other activities together.

When they came home from school, they would join Gekkou (Takeshi's younger brother), and the three of them would go together to play. When they reached junior high school, they were both assigned to different classes. Then Takeshi started hanging out more with other male friends, and so they began to drift apart. But it wasn't until a certain incident happened to her that they had to pick up that old habit of going back and forth to school together.

It turns out that, since she was a little girl, Kurumi had always been very beautyful and constantly attracted the attention of all the children in the elementary school she attended. When she grew up and reached middle school, her beauty only increased in the same way that a flower bud explodes and spreads its petals until it becomes the most splendid flower. For this reason, the boys in the middle school she attended were constantly confessing their love for her.

The problem was when she began to receive confessions from students from other schools, because she also began to receive confessions from high school students, college students and even mature, salaried men who saw her in the neighborhood. In her second year of middle school, Kurumi stopped going to school because of a stalker attack. For that reason, she began to distrust all men including Takeshi, even questioning whether she should go to meet him.

But in the end she ended up coming out of her room and in tears told him all the problems that afflicted her. It was then that Takeshi made her a certain promise. Holding up her little finger, she also swore that she would only trust him, and then they made a deal that was still in effect to this day: "let's pretend we're lovers," was Kurumi's suggestion, to which Takeshi frowned.

However, since he had already made her a promise before, which was that no matter how many men she rejected and no matter how many stalkers came her way, he would protect her, he couldn't refuse. In fact, Takeshi had become an expert in kendo and, therefore, no boy would try to get close to Kurumi. He was aware that she would never ask such a thing to a stranger and so he agreed.

From then on, they made everyone in the school believe, during junior high and high school, that they were a loving couple. Kurumi told him that they would only keep up the charade until they both fell in love with someone. However, at present, due to the hustle and bustle of kendo and the academy, that wasn't even remotely close to happening to Takeshi. Besides, there were no girls in his class who caught his eye, and he often avoided talking about that topic.

"By the way, what's all this about? Explain yourself..." Kurumi exclaimed.

Seeing her standing there in front of him made Takeshi feel fear and relief at the same time. It was an absurd situation, because he was relieved to know that Kurumi was safe, but he was afraid to see how angry she was. He knew that when Kurumi got angry, she was someone to watch out for. That was why everyone was afraid of her.

"L-listen Isoshima... even I don't understand everything that's going on."

"Don't give me that!"

"I'm not fooling you...! By the way, Isoshima... what are you doing here? Did you... did you become a Wizard?"

Takeshi replied to the angry Kurumi, making her anger intensify even more.

"Wizard you say?! W-I-Z-A-R-D? Takeshi... how dumb can you get to fall for such a joke?"

After Kurumi spelled the word letter by letter and deliberately insulted him, Takeshi only bowed his head sadly.

During the summer of fourth grade...

Someone had taken Kurumi's locker shoes and filled them with mud. When school was over and Kurumi found her shoes in that state, she noticed four classmates leaving for home while chuckling.

The next day, Kurumi took revenge by placing a pile of huge worms, which she had gotten from the fishing tackle store, in the shoes of each of them. Needless to say, the screams of those four classmates echoed throughout the school after school. From then until now, Kurumi had always been true to her motto: "Whatever you do to me, I'll do to you, in triplicate". Obviously no one found it pleasant to be around a girl who had that kind of philosophy.

There was one occasion when Takeshi managed to bring three of his friends to the Isoshima Residence so that she could socialize with others, but it did not go well at all. Quite the opposite of what was expected, such an event only caused the mutual dislike between Kurumi and the others to increase. That day, Takeshi and his friends were playing hide and seek with her in the gardens of the luxurious Isoshima mansion, and it was her turn to be the one to search. She had been searching for ten minutes and finding no one, she began to call out to them with concern.

"Kurumi-chan is calling us," commented Takeshi.

At that time, he used to call her "Kurumi-chan" and she called him "Tak-kun". Those three companions, who were glued in front of a TV screen showing a video game in a large game room, answered:

"Don't worry about her..."

"Yeah, let's leave her there for a while..."

The area designated for playing hide-and-seek was supposed to be only the garden part, but they had returned to the inside of the mansion without warning. That playroom was located on the second floor and, from the window there, they could observe Kurumi wandering alone all over the garden. Takeshi looked confused at his three friends who were simply laughing at her.

"That girl only acts lively because she lives in a luxurious house. The truth is that she's very selfish. I only came because you asked me to. But look how she is: she wanted to stop playing just because she didn't want to stay and seek."

"You're right. Let's see how long it takes him to realize that we're not..."

"It can't be..." Takeshi muttered.

Having ignored Kurumi, the three companions set out to play video games without permission. Meanwhile, Takeshi stood watching her for a moment through the window.

"Tak-kun...! Where are you guys...! Where are you?"

As she hovered around the garden, Kurumi called out to them louder and louder. But after a moment, she began to rub her eyes. She had realized that they had actually left and so she shouted:

"Taaak-kuuun!!!!"

As he continued to watch her through the window, Takeshi said:

"I think I better go get her..."

"Ah? Hey no...!"

"Don't go Nanase-kun!"

Takeshi quickly left the room heading for the hallway, leaving behind the voices of his classmates who tried to stop him. He hurriedly put on his shoes that were at the entrance and went out into the garden to look for her.

Kurumi had not moved from the place where she had just been seen, and as soon as she noticed Takeshi's presence, she quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"Tak-kun... where were you? Kurumi asked, looking at him piercingly.

"Well..."

Takeshi avoided eye contact.

"And where are the others?" She asked again, with a serious expression that showed no signs of having cried, but with her eyes still red from having done so.

Takeshi turned his face away from her and looking away answered:

"It was already late, so they had to leave for home..."

"..."

"I live next door so it's no problem if I'm still here..."

Kurumi stared at Takeshi who was trying to trick her, and then lowered her gaze to her feet and stopped at her shoes that were misplaced. She stood thoughtfully for a moment and suddenly held Takeshi firmly by the sleeve of his shirt saying to him:

"Come here..."

At that moment she led Takeshi towards a door, but it was not the main entrance of the mansion, but a service door leading to the kitchen. Once there, he asked him:

"What do you think about staying for lunch here today?"

"May I?"

"Sure, as long as it's just you. The other guys definitely won't..."

As Kurumi whispered that in his ear while faking a cough, Takeshi couldn't help but smile with a complicated expression.

"I really appreciate it, Kurumi-chan..."

She turned to look at him with a wide smile, and he just looked away like someone who has just been bullied.

"By the way, how about playing video games later? They bought me a game console the other day. Or if you prefer you can go right now, it's not a problem for me...

Even though she was acting arrogant and hostile, Kurumi's cheeks were flushed up to her ears.

"Wow... I wish I was from the Isoshima family..." commented Takeshi in a joking tone.

"That's fine with me..." muttered Kurumi.

"Huh? What did you say?"

Kurumi quickly looked in another direction, and then started walking answering:

"I didn't say anything, only that I'll let you play with my console, but in return... you'll help me tomorrow with my homework."

"Of course. You're bad at math anyway, Isoshima."

"I'm not bad! I just don't like it..."

In that way, Takeshi's attempt to make Kurumi like his friends failed, and from that moment on, he never tried to integrate her into his circle of friends again. He had realized that forcing things was pointless because, even if she lacked friends, she didn't want to have them. Besides, it had become impossible for Takeshi to find someone who wanted to befriend her. That same situation continued when they moved up to junior high school and even when they entered the same high school....

Currently.

Kurumi was standing with her arms crossed in a posture of disgust in front of the sofa in the principal's office:

"Are you telling me that you just got yourself into this, and now you intend to help this girl?"

"Well... you could put it that way..." replied Takeshi sheepishly.

"Nothing like that...! It's just that they've already filled your head with nonsense...!"

Takeshi tried to excuse himself by saying:

"It was an accident...!"

But hearing that, Kurumi twisted her mouth even more angrily and replied:

"What an unfortunate accident, isn't? though I've never heard of an accident involving becoming a wizard before!

"That's the first time I've heard of it, too..." Takeshi replied.

"You idiot!" Kurumi shouted, causing Takeshi to jump in fright.

Then he lowered his arms and let out a heavy sigh.

"Haaa~ It doesn't matter anymore... I see you're okay at least. Let's go back home, Takeshi."

Saying that, she started walking towards the exit of the office. He also started walking behind her, but as he did so he muttered:

"Even if you tell me to go back home..."

Meditating on leaving and leaving things halfway, Takeshi turned his gaze to the headmistress.

"You may go..."

The headmistress had already returned to her seat and Takeshi was surprised that she had given them permission so easily.

"However, I would like to ask you not to use your magic when you are there. I explained that a moment ago, so I'm sure you understand my warning. If magic is used to attack other wizards, the magic power disappears."

"Excuse me..." Mui tried to speak, but the headmistress continued:

"As I said, our institution maintains a neutral position, therefore, if <the Trailers> captures you, we will not be able to help you. You must be very careful. Although... I'm sure they will be back sooner than you think....

While the headmistress spoke in total tranquility and with a smile, Takeshi kept silent, but Mui couldn't do it and spoke to Kurumi who had just come out to the corridor:

"It's dangerous out there. I think it would be best if they stayed."

Takeshi who was still inside the office, also warned Kurumi:

"That's right, listen to what Mui just told you."

But of all the above said, Kurumi only noticed a single word Takeshi said and frowned asking:

"Mui?"

"Aaah, that's me. Aiba Mui, nice to meet you."

Mui had just introduced herself to her with a smile, but Kurumi completely ignored her and didn't even turn to look at her. Instead, she spoke to Takeshi.

"Takeshi, do you really believe in all this big farce they've put up, or are you an accomplice of these weird people?"

"You're wrong..."

When she heard that, Kurumi entered the office again with a single step and then took Takeshi by the hand.

"Then I'll repeat it one more time: let's go back home Takeshi, okay? Please..."

Kurumi looked up and looked him in the eyes seriously. Then Takeshi started walking with her.

"Aaah, it's okay..."

"Wait, Takeshi-kun...!"

While he was being led by Kurumi's hand, Mui stepped in by quickly grabbing the other hand that Takeshi had free. At that moment Kurumi turned to look with a clear murderous intent.

"You're Aiba-san, right?"

"Yes..."

"You look very calm bothering people you don't know..."

"Ah? That was rude..."

"Whatever! We'll leave this strange place as soon as possible and go straight back to where we belong. Whatever problems you guys have, it's none of our business."

At that moment, Takeshi's feeling of being between Kurumi and Mui was similar to being in a tundra with a terrible icy wind blowing from Kurumi's side.

"I wonder if Isoshima's bad mood will be fixed if I go with her..." thought Takeshi.

The two had engaged in an argument that ended up overwhelming Kurumi's patience. But as Mui ended up being overwhelmed by Kurumi's intensity, her hands loosened a bit and Kurumi ended up snatching Takeshi away from her.

"Now let's get out of here, Takeshi!"

Treating him as if he was her pet, she pulled him out into the hallway, but at that moment he turned to look at Mui who had stayed behind depressed, so she stopped.

"Wait, Isoshima..."

In terms of strength, Kurumi was no match for Takeshi, and no matter how hard she pulled on his arm, she couldn't get him to keep moving, so she gave up and let go.

"What now, Takeshi, so much has already happened because of you?"

Takeshi felt that was true, so he didn't deny it. However, he was worried about Mui. But as he stood looking at her silently, Kurumi enraged greatly, pressed Takeshi's cheeks with the palms of her hands, and forced him to look in her direction.

"Did you hear what I told you? You absented yourself from the club activities without saying anything and since I was worried I went to look for you all the way to the house. When I got there, someone attacked me. Everything went from bad to worse."

Hearing Kurumi say that she had been hit, Takeshi was shocked.

"You're hurt? What did they do to you?"

Holding Kurumi by the shoulders, Takeshi pulled her away from him to get a fuller view of her, and frantically checked her over as he looked her over from head to toe. Kurumi had been shocked at such a reaction, and simply put her hand to the back of her neck saying:

"A strange man hit me in the neck?"

"And are you all right? You look a little red..."

Kurumi was still surprised, because Takeshi was now checking her neck. Then she pressed her hand against his chest and answered:

"Yes, I'm fine."

The truth was that the only thing red was her cheeks, but Takeshi didn't notice that.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault," Mui burst out.

At that instant Kurumi's face distorted in disgust at hearing Mui's words, as if she had just been insulted.

Part 6

To return home, Kurumi and Takeshi walked back to the hall of mirrors. And using the same mirror through which they arrived at the academy, they both returned to their world. Takeshi was the first to exit the mirror in the bathroom of his house, followed by Kurumi who was being guided by him. Once outside, Takeshi set out to escort Kurumi towards her home, the Isohima residence, located next to his.

"I noticed you were calling that girl by her name," Kurumi mentioned in a clear voice as she opened the small waist-high gate of the Nanase house.

"You mean Mui?"

"Yes..."

"Well, I really don't know how it happened."

"..."

Takeshi replied with a chuckle, not noticing Kurumi's sadness.

"A long time ago, you used to call me by my name too. 'Kurumi-chan' you used to call me."

As they walked side by side, Takeshi found it hard to look at the profile of Kurumi's face below. And without noticing Kurumi's feelings, he kept laughing while remembering the past.

"Really? And so, since when did I start calling you 'Isoshima'?"

"Since we entered Junior High..."

"Huh? What did you say?"

Arriving at the Mansion, the noise of huge cicadas didn't let Takeshi hear well, so he asked. But Kurumi slowly shook her head and said:

"Nothing."

However, Takeshi was intrigued by the fact that her behavior was colder than usual so he looked at her and insisted:

"What's wrong with you?"

"I told you it's nothing!"

After shouting in annoyance, Kurumi turned around and looked at Takeshi.

"Do you believe what those people told you?"

Seeing the serious expression she was looking at him with, Takeshi stopped and answered:

"I wouldn't have believed anything if I hadn't seen what I saw with my own eyes."

"Ok, but I'm not going to be fooled."

In Kurumi's voice at the moment of making that decision, one could feel that there was more hatred and hostility than simple anger. Then she continued:

"And neither should you. We don't know if it's a cult or a simple fraud. But whatever the case it's better that you stay away from those dangerous things before you get hurt and it's too late."

Takeshi sighed as he saw that Kurumi was scolding him severely. But then he remembered that when Kurumi was in high school she had been attacked by a stalker.

"Isoshima..."

Instead of going to school, she had barricaded herself in her house in fear, because one day on her way home from school, she almost got kidnapped. A fact that Takeshi found out about as soon as he returned home after being with the Kendo club, and since then he kept it in his memory as a bad memory.

She also remembered that people used to say that she was the one asking for that kind of trouble, but Takeshi had only seen her wearing makeup during the New Year's parties and the ornament she wore in her hair was a simple black ribbon designated by the school that didn't even have any ornaments. Whether it was with boys or girls, she didn't usually get involved with anyone.

She was just an ordinary high school student who didn't stand out from the crowd. For that reason, he accepted Kurumi's request to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Even though it would result in the hatred of those admirers Kurumi had. But still, he wanted to protect her. He didn't want anyone to hurt her again. So, when Kurumi got angry, Takeshi was aware that it was because something was bothering her. So, at that moment he nodded obediently at her gaze.

"It's okay... And I'm sorry for worrying you, Isoshima."

"Well, if you understand, it's okay..."

Kurumi looked away, showing her ears which had turned red. And Takeshi, noticing that, smiled slightly. Kurumi was the type of person who said things directly. That frankness was the number one reason why she was hated by girls her own age. Still, she didn't tell lies and was always honest. Suddenly, the image of Mui came to Takeshi's mind. To tell the truth, she gave the same impression.

"Mui and Isoshima... huh?"

"Isohima is hostile to others, just to protect herself and Mui who won't give up on her brother."

"Isoshima might well hit it off with her."

While wishing for something like that to become possible, Takeshi thought with some expectation, as he walked next to Kurumi who still had her ears red.

Part 7

In one of the female dormitory rooms of the Subaru Magic Academy, which was located inside the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in a parallel world where only wizards existed, Aiba Mui was repeatedly sighing.

"Haa~ What should I do?"

Lying on a huge desk, she contemplated the dark screen of a cell phone she held in her hand. Normally the dorms at the academy were doubles, but Mui was part of a special class, and had been granted a room just for herself. The side outside the window looked dark and the clock read around ten o'clock.

"Do I call or don't I call?"

With her fingers, she opened and closed the lid of the cell phone, which showed a phone number on the screen.

"I call or I don't call..."

He opened it again and closed it again.

"..."

With her head on the desk and pressed against her cheek, Mui looked at her dandelion-colored phone and said to herself:

"I'll call..."

As she mumbled strangely to herself, she held her cell phone tightly and said:

"No problem, I had previously rehearsed what I was going to say, so I just have to do it all as is."

When she finally decided to do it and selected the phone book, where the name, Nanase Takeshi, was displayed. But upon seeing it, Mui frowned.

"Aaah, I wonder if I'll go and bother him... Yes, I'm sure it will be a disturb.

To tell the truth, when Takeshi visited Subaru Academy and they spent some time in the store, they both exchanged their phone numbers. Mui had said it was just in case something happened, as it sounded like a natural thing to do because of the matter of protecting Takeshi. However, she was very nervous.

"I think I'd better not call him..."

With the directory option displayed on the screen, Mui closed the lid once more. They had barely parted in the afternoon so it might as well be overkill to be calling that very night.

"But anyway..."

She was aware that Takeshi had returned safely to her world, because she herself was the one who had opened the mirror portal so that he and also Isoshima Kurumi could return. However, she wasn't sure what had happened next.

The Trailer had recently been taking to chasing mages and capturing them with no questions asked. Mui wasn't sure what had become of Takeshi since she last saw him, and the thought that something like that could happen to him made her chest tighten. However, that could be a simple unfounded fear.

"The best thing to do would be to tell him not to come this way. Yes, I'll do that..."

Throwing his cell phone on the bed, he lay back down on the desk.

"But, if he's doing something important and can't answer me..."

Raising his face and looking sideways in the direction of the cell phone on the bed, he shook his head vigorously.

"No, I told him to stay at the academy, and the one who convinced him to leave was that girl, so it's not my fault," Mui mumbled, clenching his fists tightly and nodding.

"Yes, that's right. If something happens to him, it won't be my fault."

Her voice gradually dropped.

"But, I'm the one who turned him into a wizard...."

Slowly approaching the bed, she picked up the cell phone again.

"We girls are brave. I've been looking for my brother, which is not an easy task, so calling a guy is nothing to me."

Talking to herself, she impulsively opened the directory again, with Nanase Takeshi's name selected.

"But..."

Once she pressed the button, the call would be made, but she still hesitated. Therefore, Mui still kept her trembling finger barely five millimeters away from touching the screen, and suddenly, the door of the room rang.

"Kyaaa!"

Mui gasped in surprise, and at the same time her finger ended up gently touching the screen.

"AAAaaaaaah"

Mui screamed again, and then came to her ears, a sudden call:

"W-What's wrong? Aiba-san, are you ok?"

A middle-aged woman, who was in charge of the dormitory, opened the door at that very moment.

"It's nothing..." replied Mui, hiding her cell phone behind her back.

It turns out that, inside the dormitories, cell phones were forbidden, and because of the emergency of the moment, Mui had just been caught.

"Yes, hello?"

From the cell phone earpiece, a barely audible voice came out.

"Is there really nothing wrong with you...? Are you...?"

While the dormitory manager frowned with suspicion, Mui laughed wryly.

"Hehehe... I just realized that I gained a little weight and was surprised."

Seeing Mui's figure in her pajamas, the dorm keeper turned her face towards the entrance of the room.

"Really?"

"Yes," Mui replied, smiling brightly.

Then the dormitory keeper stared at her for a few seconds, and then turned around.

"Don't worry. The truth is that you are very thin so it wouldn't hurt you to put on a little weight."

"Ha ha..."

"Well, don't yell anymore and go to bed soon."

After saying that, the bedroom attendant closed the door and left.

"Phew..."

Mui breathed a sigh of relief, and somehow, the voice of the ongoing call coming from the cell phone she was holding in her hand reached her ears.

"Hello?"

Frantically and in a panic, Mui put the phone to her ear and answered:

"Aah, sorry, Takeshi-kun, I..."

"Mui? Is everything all right?"

"Yes..."

As she had made the call from her own phone, and had kept him on hold, Mui felt guilty, but Takeshi through the phone tried to cheer her up by saying:

"I too think it wouldn't be bad if you put on some weight."

"No way, did you even hear that?"

"Yes, I heard it."

"Well, about that..."

As the above had been a lie, Mui tried to explain, but when she heard Takeshi say 'huh?' on the other end of the phone in a gentle voice, her skin crawled and she couldn't say anything anymore. She just ducked her head in embarrassment. It was a relief that Takeshi wasn't watching her and so she put a hand to her cheek.

"By the way, I'm sorry about what happened today. I shouldn't have left so suddenly."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. I was the one who got too heavy."

"I don't think you were heavy. It's just that Isoshima was afraid and I didn't want her to go home alone."

Hearing that, Mui's smile disappeared from her face.

"You seem to know that girl very well..."

Mui had just spoken without realizing it and hearing the echo of her own words, she froze.

"Huh?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. I meant to say that... I-It's really a very beautiful girl indeed."

Mui answered trying to cover up the above said by smiling in a wry way. Then Takeshi replied:

"Yeah, Isoshima is really popular. That's why I'm even a little envious of her."

"I see..."

While talking on the phone, Miu remembered Kurumi, and her expression darkened even more. Thinking about Takeshi always being with that beautiful girl, and then thinking about her own appearance, made her feel depressed. Mui knew that Takeshi had heard what she said before and without being able to notice Mui's thoughts, Takeshi said:

"It's a little strange, don't you think? We're having a phone conversation across two worlds."

When Takeshi's voice came out of the speaker, Mui who was wandering in a sea of thoughts, came back to reality, and continued talking to him.

"Yes, that's right. To make the call, I connected the space through the same magic I used with the mirror."

It was at the moment when the two exchanged phone numbers that she had taken the opportunity to place that magic connecting the two worlds on Takeshi's cell phone.

"I see. Though, no matter how much you explain it to me, I don't think I get it, ha ha..."

Takeshi replied between chuckles, and Mui also laughed with him.

"..."

"..."

However, for some reason the conversation stopped, and both Takeshi and Mui fell silent.

"Eeh... So... see you soon?" Takeshi said.

"Yes... I called you because I thought it was a good idea."

Mui responded with a certain sense of disappointment as she felt the call had come to an end.

"Relax, I'm fine. You don't need to keep worrying."

"I understand," Mui replied.

But, even if he told her that, she knew the Trailer wouldn't give up so easily. Still, Mui didn't understand how Takeshi knew about her discomfort if he hadn't even said anything about it to her yet.

"Hey..."

While Mui remained silent, Takeshi spoke:

"If something were to happen, can I call you?"

Mui's eyes opened wide upon hearing that and she quickly nodded.

"Yes, of course. And-and I can call you too?"

"Sure, I'll be waiting for you."

"Bye..."

Mui was intrigued that Takeshi cut off the call before she did. On the other hand, while they had been talking, she had been standing in front of the bed with cell phone pressed against her ear. Perhaps too hard. Thanks to that, now her ear ached.

"What a relief. So far so good," she muttered to herself.

However, it was inevitable that in the future she would have the same concern again. Still, as long as Takeshi stayed within the real world, she couldn't do more than to be calling him periodically to be alert in case something might happen. With a sigh, Mui picked up her pistol from the desk and stood alert as if expecting to use it at any moment.

Part 8

Five days had passed after Takeshi traveled with Mui to the magical academy and during that time no mishap had occurred. The Ghost Trailers that were expected to appear immediately upon his return had not been seen again. From that point on, Takeshi had resumed his dreary summer vacation.

In the morning, he had traveled to school together with Kurumi as he did daily. In the afternoon after training, he had agreed with her to do the summer chores together at the Isohima Residence. The bell rang at the end of the day and when Takeshi heard it, he left the Dojo and headed towards the club room to change his clothes. However, as he was on his way, he ran into a classmate of his who was already on his way out and exclaimed:

"Howdy Ida! Did you have supplementary classes today too?"

Hearing the voice calling out to her, Ida, who was already on her way out, stopped and turned to look.

"What? Nanase!"

As usual, her striking blonde hair shone brightly in the sun and seeing Takeshi approaching wearing the Kendo uniform, she flashed a bitter smile.

"This hot day is awesome for working out," said Takeshi quickly.

"It would be better to say that it's tedious to come to school on such a hot day, don't you think?" Ida replied.

"You may be right."

Ida laughed as Takeshi expressed a smile. Ida had a tendency to be misunderstood in everything, but when he laughed he looked like just an elementary school brat. So unlike Takeshi who often pretended to smile at others, he was sincere with his feelings. He didn't care what others thought of him and in that respect Takeshi envied Ida.

At the same time he was surprised to see Ida's willpower as he could be himself wherever he wanted. Suddenly he remembered Mui. She also seemed to be as strong-willed as Ida. For a few days, Takeshi had been having mixed feelings as he thought about how hard it had been for Mui to search for her older brother and try to get him back. As he found himself thinking about her, Ida asked:

"What's the matter with you? You seem to have changed your mood..."

Takeshi, who had been carried away by his thoughts, looked at Ida and blinked repeatedly.

"Huh? What's wrong? What mood?"

"I don't know what you were thinking about, but you had a serious expression."

Takeshi touched his face instinctively.

"Really?"

"Yes, is something wrong?"

"No, not at all."

Takeshi looked away suspiciously.

"Well, it's all right. At least it's more decent than your usual tragic face."

Ida raised a hand and waved goodbye and then hurried off to the exit gate. Takeshi on the other hand stood there in the scorching heat with his hands over his face. He wondered if maybe he had changed after becoming a wizard.

He didn't feel that way. However, he had been told the same thing at the dojo. One of the members mentioned that his attacks were now firmer and that his expression was sharper than a few days ago. Ida's words had confirmed that, so Takeshi slapped his cheeks to cheer himself up and continued on his way to the club room.

Part 9

After he finished changing in the Kendo club room after his meeting with Ida, Takeshi met up with Kurumi to go home together. But because they had arranged to do homework together, he didn't stop at his own house, but went straight to Kurumi's house. True, they were in different classes, but the homework assignments were the same so Kurumi had suggested that studying together would be more effective.

Because the two had studied together several times since they were in high school, they knew each other's strengths and weaknesses perfectly well. For example: Takeshi was lousy at English, but he was good at math. Kurumi, on the other hand, was very good at English, but bad at math. Before starting their homework, the housekeeper, named Kayo, had prepared a lunch for them, which they both ate in a large dining room.

After that, Takeshi went to Kurumi's room which was spacious and luxurious like a hotel room. There, there was a finely decorated table set up on a soft and fluffy carpet where the two sat facing each other.

"What do you plan to do this summer?" Kurumi asked.

She had been thirty minutes since they started their homework, trying to solve problems from her math book. Takeshi on the other hand who was struggling with a long English dialogue, frowned and replied while writing with his mechanical pencil:

"You know, nothing in particular." What about you?

"Well, when my parents come back during the obon festival, maybe we'll have dinner together. After that, I'll devote myself to club activities."

"Well, the club will organize a camp very soon." Takeshi commented.

At that moment, he saw Kurumi's hand stopped. She had focused on Takeshi's hand and not on her book. Takeshi refocused on his English homework and gave:

"It would have been better if you hadn't entered the Kendo club."

Hearing that, Kurumi frowned and asked:

"You mean you don't like the idea that I got in?"

Takeshi frantically replied in a high-pitched voice in a hurry:

"No, no, I was just thinking that being the team manager must be a boring job for you!"

Kurumi put the tip of her mechanical pencil over her lips and while looking closely at Takeshi's hands replied:

"That's not true. Being the team manager is not bad."

"Well, if you say so."

At that moment Takeshi became a bit thoughtful and asked:

"Do you want to make nice with someone?"

"Only with you..."

However, Kurumi's answer had been a mumble that didn't reach Takeshi's ears.

"Huh?"

Takeshi looked up having understood very little, and at that moment Kurumi shrugged her shoulders and extended her white hand to point towards Takeshi's hands saying:

"I didn't say anything. By the way, you made a mistake there."

"Where?"

"There?"

"Uh... Here?"

He wasn't sure, but it seemed that she was pointing out a part of the dialogues she had been translating.

"No, I told you here..."

A little annoyed, Kurumi got up from her chair and walked to Takeshi's side to place her finger on one of the words. At that moment Kurumi's bangs touched Takeshi's head. Kurumi's cheeks that had risen up, suddenly had dyed red. With awkward movements in front of Kurumi who had returned to sit in her chair, Takeshi nodded honestly.

"Aah... you say this part, Thank you saved me."

When he raised his face with a smile, Kurumi's face turned progressively red from the neck upwards like a thermometer reaching its limit and then she ducked her head.

"What's wrong?" Takeshi asked.

"Nothing's wrong with me...!" Kurumi suddenly shouted.

Takeshi shrugged his shoulders completely confused.

"Hey... you're not going anymore, are you?" Kurumi said with her head down.

-Huh? Where to? -Takeshi asked.

"I mean..."

With a little difficulty, she finally spoke and said:

"To where that girl..."

Takeshi immediately knew who she was talking about. In the five days that had passed since her return, Kurumi hadn't spoken anything about Mui or that world, let alone mages. It seemed she was afraid to talk about it. Takeshi hadn't said anything either, but finally decided to break the silence:

"You mean Mui?"

Indeed, Takeshi cut to the chase with Kurumi who was sighing silently and then said:

"I'm not going..."

"Really?"

The expression Kurumi had as she lifted her face staring was uncomfortable.

"I have no reason to go." Takeshi replied, returning to his English dialogues. Then she muttered as if relieved:

"Yes... you're right..."

Obviously Takeshi had hidden from Kurumi that he had talked on the phone with Mui. Knowing Kurumi, that would have made her very angry. Although her anger would only indicate concern on her part, Takeshi didn't want to have to be watching out for that too so he decided to keep it a secret. Takeshi himself was also feeling a bit worried.

Part 10

"Well... see you tomorrow."

Takeshi had been doing chores for two hours starting at noon, had been escorted by Kurumi to the main gate of Isoshima Residence and was already getting ready to return home.

"Yes"

As he turned around and turned his gaze towards his own house. Takeshi noticed something: Two men and a woman were leaning against the brick wall of a house located in front of Takeshi's house, which in turn was located next to the Isoshima Residence. He immediately recognized them.

"Hello, how are you?"

"Welcome..."

"I was tired of waiting..."

He clearly remembered those voices and then Takeshi quickly exclaimed:

"they are the <Ghost Trailers>!"

"Wow, it's only been a few days since you became a wizard and you already know our name!" Ushikawa said with a chuckle, the thin guy with bad fashion sense wearing a shirt with a horrible pattern.

Next to him, the small girl with a very short haircut, frowned and said:

"And to think that that girl Aiba Mui, would use seduction techniques just for the sake of taking Tsuganashi away. How disgusting."

Reacting to Hotaru's words, Kurumi rushed out from the other side of the gate and asked:

"Takeshi... were you seduced?"

She grabbed the sleeve of Takeshi's shirt and while tugging on it insisted:

"Hey... tell me Takeshi..."

"How do you get to say such things at a time like this?" Takeshi replied in surprise.

However, Kurumi looked up and looked him straight in the eyes asking once again:

"she seduced you?"

"Of course not."

When he answered reluctantly, Kurumi was finally satisfied. Meanwhile the three people who were engaged in looking them closely in the face.

"Hey, that girl..." Hotaru tried to say something, but before she finished, Ushikawa nodded and answered:

"Yes, she also became a wizard. Maybe it's because of us."

"No 'maybe.' Rest assured that it was." Oigami clarified. Who looked at Kurumi with narrowed eyes.

When Kurumi passed out in Takeshi's room, he couldn't realize that she had become a wizard since her power had taken a while to activate. If she had stayed there for use minutes, she would have been able to realize that. If that was the case, Kurumi shouldn't be on Takeshi's side so he had to make sure to get her into the ranks of the Trailers.

"Well, no problem. I will gladly welcome such a beautiful woman." Said Ushikawa while contemplating Kurumi's figure from head to toe. However, Hotaru refuted:

"Are you an idiot? The important thing is to know her systemati magic."

"For me, the shell is also of utmost importance."

"Don't say shell! Say face or body! Apologize, you vermin."

Paying no attention to Ushikawa and Hotaru's discussion which were habitual, Oigami moved his line of sight from Kurumi to Takeshi. Silently, he drew the sword from his leather belt while focusing only on Takeshi. Kurumi who was hidden behind his back, took a step back. Takeshi didn't know whether to tell Kurumi to run inside the mansion or to tell her to run far away to another place.

Either way, Kurumi would have to run away alone from those three who were magicians and although they didn't know what kind of magic Takeshi was capable of using, it was dangerous to just run away like that. Especially since Takeshi didn't know anything about those Ghost Trailers either. The only thing he knew was that they were capable of altering memory like they did with Mui's brother, so they might as well make him their companion. Holding the sword in his right hand, Oigami left Ushikawa and Hotaru behind with their useless discussion, and stood in front of Takeshi.

"I was told that battles between Wizard are forbidden in this world." Said Takeshi.

"Only battles with magic. A direct attack without magic is different." Oigami answered.

"Takeshi..." Kurumi muttered uneasily from behind.

Takeshi looked at the three firmly trying to analyze his options. Then he realized something and asked:

"Where is Mui's brother?"

Nowhere to be seen was the figure of Tsuganashi, Mui's older brother, who had been with them last time. Then Hotaru laughed and answered:

"Tsuganashi? He's not here. What's wrong? Are you thinking of taking Tsuganashi with you? That's annoying because Tsuganashi is our friend you know? You should forget about that.

"That's not what Mui said!" Takeshi exclaimed.

Hotaru pursed her lips at Takeshi's prompt reply and said:

"That girl is out of her mind."

"I believe in what Mui told me!" Takeshi said again.

At the firm answer, Hotaru distorted her expression as if she had been offended and said:

"What's wrong with you? You are disgusting..."

At that moment Oigami interrupted with a heavy sigh and said:

"It's useless for you to ask us about him. Anyway, he's not from our team."

"Team?"

"I don't suppose you know anything about him." Ushiwaka Said, raising an eyebrow as soon as he spoke, "He is someone of high rank within the Trailers. We are the elite of the first battle team and normally move in groups of three. Being together with Tsuganashis like last time is something we don't usually do. Since he is one of the five candidates.

"Five candidates?" asked Takeshi looking for an explanation. But Hotaru who had had enough of that, ducked her head and said:

"Ahh~ hey, how much longer do you plan to keep asking annoying questions? I've had enough."

"That's right. There's no point in giving you explanations," Ushikawa said.

"Yeah, that's because we're going to erase your memory anyway." Oigami replied.

Then the gazes of the three of them focused and became sharp.

"It's time for our second round." Oigami said as he firmly gripped his sword.

"Last time took you by surprise didn't it?" Hotaru said with sarcasm. To which the man turned to look at her silently with a face of few friends.

"A fight with another Evasive Magic user. This is something I haven't done before." Oigami commented.

"Evasive Magic user?" asked Takeshi

"What's the matter, you still don't know about systematic magic?"

"He doesn't seem to have an Aspect either." Ushikawa mentioned from behind.

Oigami who had a fierce expression, was surprised to hear that and said:

"That's true. Hey, the last time you activated your magic, what did you have?"

"Wasn't it a broom?" Hotaru mentioned tilting her head to the side trying to remember it. "It was a broom, wasn't it?"

Although she was also a wizard, Hotaru often acted childish. Ushikawa then said in a mocking manner:

"Do you think she's going to use that in a real battle?"

Hotaru replied irritated:

"At least it's better than your disgusting bugs!

Oigami again ignored them, and proceeded to pull a spare sword from his belt.

"Anyway, I'm going to lend this to you for a while."

"Hey, aren't you being too hard-headed?"

At Hotaru's displeased voice, Oigami threw the spare sword in front of Takeshi and exclaimed.

"Come on, show me your evasive magic!"

However, Takeshi did not move at the sword that had landed about 50 centimeters away from his feet. He had already understood the situation. His opponent was holding a real sword in his hand while he protected Kurumi behind his back with his bare hands.

But he still couldn't pick up the sword. He didn't know if picking it up would be stupid. Besides, they were in a residential area. It was a place with little traffic, but still it was not a suitable place where two men could seriously clash. Meanwhile, Oigami swung the sword he held from left to right as if he was showing off.

"Takeshi..."

When he thought of Kurumi who was clinging to his back, he realized that he would not be able to escape. Kurumi was not very fast at running. Even in the class from long ago, she was in third place. So it was practically impossible to grab her and run away to throw those three off.

"Come on, pick it up!" Oigami exclaimed throwing a sharp pointed look full of menace.

Takeshi overlooked her by keeping his eyes down, but at one point Takeshi caught a glimpse flash of silvery light. As the blade's edge came over his right shoulder, Takeshi quickly pushed Kurumi aside.

"Hee-you dodged it..." Oigami exclaimed in a silly voice as he went down.

Takeshi had pushed Kurumi and he had launched himself to the other side of the ground. His fingers were trembling and his teeth were chattering. However, his gaze was fixed on Oigami. The power of Oigami's sword was expelling white particles that floated around him.

"What do you think you're doing all of a sudden?"

Takeshi glared at Oigami, but Oigami simply showed a less-pricey expression and said:

"I'm sorry, but I got tired of waiting."

A little longer and his shoulder would have been cut off. But on the contrary it was at a distance that could have reached the back of Kurumi's head. Takeshi remembered for a moment, the sensation of the wind blowing over his shoulder caused by the sword slashing through the air and shuddered. Kurumi who had been pushed, was still lying on the ground.

He had pushed her too hard so there was a possibility that she was hurt. Still, he couldn't let her run. Takeshi kept his hands low, and picked up the sword by swinging his arms while keeping his gaze fixed on Oigami.

"You finally made up your mind? Oigami said with a happy face that caused him to be repulsed.

The sword was heavy. And even though he was used to using bamboo swords, he had to be careful swinging a thing of that weight. Rising slowly, Takeshi corrected his posture and gripped the hilt firmly with both hands, adopting a fighting stance. Oigami bowed his face and rushed forward with a shout.

Takeshi swung the sword from left to right and repelled the blade of his opponent who had suddenly lunged forward. Oigami raised his arms again and launched a second side attack, but Takeshi quickly dodged it by approaching his opponent's chest and struck his cheek by raising the handle of his sword.

"Gu...!!!"

Although he groaned for a moment, Oigami didn't give up, but tried to forcibly capture Takeshi at an opportune moment. But Takeshi before that, took three steps back separating himself from Oigami. But having had that opportunity to attack Oigami, he realized something:

"That guy, he's vulnerable to attacks from the left."

As we all have weaknesses, Takeshi also had his weaknesses. However, Takeshi had memorized them for a long time in his kendo training and had learned not to make them noticeable. Blood began to flow from the left cheek of Oigami, who was standing in front of him. Possibly it was a wound caused by the blow from the hilt. However, he showed no traces of pain or anger on his face. Instead, Oigami was smiling in a very disturbing way.

"This way, without using magic I feel more motivated..." Oigami said while twirling the sword inside his hand as if he was playing.

After having dealt a single blow to the opponent, it was expected that the opponent would counterattack by striking with the back of the sword. However, what appeared on Oigami's face was a brutal laugh with full killing intent:

"From now on I will use all my power, so try not to die."

As soon as he spoke, a large amount of white particles began to emerge from the blade of his sword. And a noise was heard as if the asphalt under his feet was cracking.

At that moment, with incredible spontaneous agility, he ran towards Takeshi and grabbed him, raising a scream, and struck him with his sword. His actions were so fast that he could not even be followed with his eyes. As if Takeshi's body flew away, he received an impact. It was a dull, heavy thud as if he had just been hit by a truck.

"Ga haaa........!!!!"

His vision became blurry, his breathing labored, drawing all the air from his throat.

"I'm not finished!"

Falling to his hands and knees, Takeshi expelled blood and saliva from his mouth Oigami's sword had mercilessly pierced. The force of the steel falling on his back caused Takeshi to fall to the ground.

"Uuh... aah"

A high-pitched buzzing echoed in his head and did not allow him to hear anything else. As if he was paralyzed, he didn't even have an accurate sense of where it hurt. His body did not respond.

"Hey, you're going too far. Oigami, at this rate you're going to kill him."

"I didn't use magic in a direct attack so there's no problem. I only used it to strengthen myself, but it's not attack magic."

"He has no problem with that. As you would expect from an assassin."

Hotaru was frowning while Ushikawa played the role of a mere spectator. Kurumi sat there watching the situation in complete shock, Takeshi still unable to see or hear anything.

Having lost his sword, the tip of a shoe reached his side and Takeshi instinctively turned his body to try to avoid the blow. But he received many merciless kicks and was hit with the sword from above.

"Am I... going to die?"

His survival instinct alone told him that he was being hurt, but his body was still unresponsive.

"Come on, get up you bastard! Don't tell me that blow was enough to finish you off."

Oigami continued to kick Takeshi in the back hard.

Takeshi's wide eyes reflected the soft clouds that were rolling across the blue sky. The sky could very well be so hot it could burn, but at that moment he wasn't feeling anything. A liquid was dripping from his chin, but he had no idea if it was blood or something else.

"That's it, I've lost interest."

Oigami stepped back a little and turned his shoulder and the arm with which he was holding the sword. After he calmed down, he looked once more at Takeshi who was lying on the ground.

"If you surrender to <the Trailers>, I will heal you right away. Otherwise you will continue to suffer.

Oigami raised his sword, to strike the final blow. But at that moment, Takeshi noticed that the sky he was staring at began to silently distort. His limbs began to tremble, his heart began to beat so hard that it felt as if it would burst out of his chest.

Every place in his body where he had not been able to feel anything until that moment, he noticed that he was still breathing. His eyes were burning and Takeshi thought he was crying, but he wasn't. He was shocked to realize that he was using magic. It was very real and it was emanating from him.

Just like using you raise a bamboo sword in front of you, like a singing voice, it was all happening spontaneously. Takeshi saw Oigami's sword swinging towards him. However, he was aware that the scene he saw was a previous moment that had not yet occurred.

"Tch..."

Getting up, Oigami held his calf without complaining. Takeshi stood up holding the sword in his right hand and looked at his own body. He barely had a few bumps and bruises. However, his back and side were damaged as if he had been overstretched. Even if his ribs were broken the pain was not that much.

"You fucking coward, you tricked me by playing dead."

Oigami stood up after Takeshi and after looking him in the face, his eyes opened wide and he showed a wide smile.

"You're too slow to wake up, you badass. I'm impressed that you're doing it so far."

The color of Takeshi's eyes had changed and instead of their black color, they now showed a purple color.

"Clearly it can be seen that your systematic magic is evasive magic."

"..."

"Whatever. I'm not going to tell you anything else. But if you come with us I'll tell you everything. Besides, you'll get stronger."

Takeshi obviously didn't have the slightest intention of trusting what he was telling him. Doing what they do, there would be no one who would want to go with them. As Takeshi looked Oigami in the eyes with his glowing sight, he took a fighting stance. But Oigami attacked before even taking a stance.

First from the upper left side and then from the upper right. And then to his right side. Each and every attack, Takeshi blocked with his sword. He was impressed by the agility of his body as it didn't look like his body but someone else's body. His body moved before the attacks were made. As if his body understood on its own the movements of his opponent.

"Hee... that means..." Hotaru expressed impressed, however, Ushiwaka nodded replied:

"That's right... it's unusual, but... those are his evasion skills."

"Great! I want it! We have to get it to <The Trailers> at any cost..." Hotaru exclaimed excitedly.

"Shut up, Hotaru." Oigami who had been attacking for a while now, took a moment to scold her friend. Hotaru smiled and said:

"Isn't it costing you too much? Use your <Banish Cloud> your evasive magic ability to repel and nullify his magic. You can clearly see that he doesn't know how to use attack magic. Also, your attacks are unaffected by his evasive magic.

"Shut up, Hotaru! I'll hit you."

Before they were yelling at each other, Takeshi couldn't understand the situation and was confused. At the sight of him, when Oigami raised his arms, Takeshi already knew that he would attack from the right.

"Is it a premonition? No, it has to be something else."

For Takeshi it was a completely unfamiliar feeling even though he had always practiced Kendo. It was not like a prediction, not a dream but rather just a feeling. with a speed similar to an electric current, he could have a momentary sensation as if he could read his opponent's mind.

"So.... is this magic?"

It was good to say that was completely to Takeshi's idea of magic. As he was in a daze, a shout rang out from a distant place beyond Oigami.

"You don't understand anything, do you, Oigami?"

"Kyaaa!!!"

Turning to look at the place of the scream, Takeshi realized that Hotaru was pulling Kurumi's hair.

"Isoshima!"

"In that case I'd better take care of this weakling."

Hotaru had forcibly subdued Kurumi.

"Kyaa!"

Even though Kurumi was taller, Hotaru had pinned her down by holding her arms from behind. Hotaru joined Kurumi's wrists together holding them with one hand and leaving the other hand free which she tucked under her skirt.

"Kyaa!"

Kurumi was aware that they were both girls, but she couldn't help but raise a scream.

"Wow, how sexy!" Ushiwaka exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Hey Hotaru, stop doing that." Oigami shouted.

However, Hotaru continued to move her hand tucked inside Kurumi's skirt.

"This girl isn't bad. She looks slim over her clothes but she does have some meat to grab. Still, I get it in legs and butt."

After saying that with satisfaction, Hotaru took her hand off Kurumi's crotch.

"But you're too skinny..." Ushiwaka said with exasperation.

"Shut up, you vermin."

"You call a simple insect lover a vermin? What a vocabulary you have!"

"Shut up, shut up!"

With sword in hand, Takeshi kept his eyes on Kurumi and Oigami.

Hotaru then, reached into Kurumi's skirt pocket, where she felt a cylindrical object inside.

"What is it?"

Seeing that, Ushiwaka smiled and said:

"It's something of prime necessity for a young lady, but what would you know about that."

"Shut your mouth. Let's see, let me give you a hand, sweetheart."

Hotaru removed the lipstick cap, and tried to apply it on Kurumi's lips by force.

"No, stop..."

Kurumi squirmed trying to escape, but strangely Hotaru's strength seemed to be superior.

"Don't touch me..."

Kurumi didn't like it at all, however Hotaru was applying lipstick while showing an unscrupulous smile.

"I told you to stop..."

At that moment, Takeshi was perplexed as he saw something that shocked him more than what had just happened to him.

Magic particles, pink colored like cherry blossoms, began to come out of the lipstick swirling vigorously until concentrated under her feet.

A magic circle glowed very clearly under her feet.

"Is it Isoshima's magic?" wondered Takeshi inside himself.

As that happened, Kurumi's body began to change.

"Isoshima?!"

"Huh?"

Kurumi also felt that something was happening to her, but she had no idea what was going on.

"Impossible."

Due to the surprise of Kurumi's change, Hotaru unintentionally let go of her. a fact that Kurumi took advantage of.

She quickly grabbed Hotaru by the arms and subdued her in the same way she had done to her.

"Crap..."

"I got you, fufufu!"

This time it was Kurumi who was grinning mischievously.

However Takeshi was still looking at Kurumi with an expression that worried her.

"Isoshima, Your..."

"What's the matter Takeshi!?"

At Takeshi's reaction, Kurumi was finally convinced that something serious had happened to her.

"is growing..."

"what is growing on me...?

While looking at Takeshi without understanding what he was referring to, Kurumi lowered her gaze to look at herself.

"My breasts...?"

Until then, she could see looming in her field of vision, the figure of her breasts which had grown in a big way.

"That's great! We have to take her to <the Trailers> at any cost. Ushiwaka said with great excitement, but Oigami frowned with disinterest and replied:

"That's a stupid skill. What good would that do?"

"Of course it's very useful, the body transformation ability can be useful in an infiltration." Ushiwaka refuted.

Hotaru gritted her teeth in annoyance as she saw Ushikawa's excitement.

Takeshi felt it was his chance

With the sword he held in his hands, he struck Oigami in his side.

"Kuu! Damn you!"

And before Oigami regained his stance, he kicked Hotaru while still being held by Kurumi.

Then he grabbed Kurumi by the hand and ran away with her.

"Let's get out of here Isoshima!"

Until recently, he had thought it was impossible to run away, but for some reason he knew that would be fine now.

Maybe it was because of the magic they mentioned, but if he thought about it carefully, Oigami wouldn't follow him after discarding the sword, and Hotaru had received a kick from him so he wouldn't be getting up any time soon. As for the remaining guy, it was unlikely that he would chase them on his own since they were a team.

However, he thought about that until after they had fled.

When Takeshi and Kurumi escaped, Oigami picked up the sword Takeshi left lying around and slowly tucked it back into his belt.

"They ran away..." said Oigami with so much rage that he seemed to be roaring.

Ushiwaka held out his hand to Hotaru to help her up.

"I hate that bitch, damn it." Hotaru said and kicked the ground throwing a tantrum.

However, unlike the previous two, Ushiwaka was calm.

"No problem, one of my insects attached themselves to them."

Hotaru's face, upon hearing that, became involuntarily disturbed.

"Seriously... your magic is disgusting. Even for <the Trailers>."

"At least I'm more useful than you. Who caught you and kicked you."

Hotaru turned around angrily.

"What did you say?"

Oigami watched silently in the direction from where those two had fled. Obviously although Ushikawa and Hotaru were arguing, Oigami was not upset.

Part 11

Takeshi who was pulling Kurumi's hand and fled from the front of the Isoshima recidence, was running towards the station. As there were many people even if they were chased, they wouldn't be able to use magic. However, as he was running someone suddenly called out to him from behind.

"Hey, Nanase... what are you running away from in such dread?"

"Ida!"

It was his classmate, Ida who spoke to him. In his mouth was an unlit cigarette and carried four huge rings on his right hand alone. On his arm also wore a bracelet of leather and metal parts. His attire was by far more extravagant than the one I had seen him in earlier that morning at school. He wore his shirt sleeves rolled up and had his shoulders bare, but that didn't look cool at all. Combing his waxed blonde hair, Ida stared interestedly at Takeshi and Kurumi who were holding hands.

"What are you doing here, Ida?" Takeshi asked.

Ida frowned.

"Well, I'm heading that way."

Looking in the direction he pointed, saw the entrance to the shopping area in front of the station.

"I'm going to buy my dinner."

It didn't look like he was going to buy his dinner, but Takeshi simply nodded.

"By the way, is this beatyful lady your girlfriend?"

"Huh? No, you know..."

Although Ida had suddenly appeared, Takeshi was only involuntarily surprised when he was asked about Kurumi. He was in a circumstance in which he would not have wanted to meet any acquaintance. However, there was Ida looking at Kurumi as if he didn't know who she was.

"What about Isoshima?"

Asked about infidelity, Takeshi shook his head frantically.

"It's not what you think, you see?"

"It's okay. I'll shut up, but you know, if Isoshima finds you, she'll kill you for sure. Girlfriends can be as evil as a demon."

Takeshi felt Kurumi's hand tightening and loosening as Ida's words were being spoken, so he hurried to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"Aah hey, sorry but, I'm in a hurry."

Looking at the traffic light it turned green, and after saying goodbye he took Kurumi and walked away from the place.

"Wow, how unsociable they are..." Ida muttered.

Takeshi crossed the street while praying he wouldn't run into anyone else.

The three wizards behind them had already reached a place where they could see the street they had just passed.

"Hey, are you sure they went this way?" Oigami asked, glancing around at Ushikawa who was approaching at a run.

"Yes, my insects don't lie."

When Ushiwaka who was running with sweat on his forehead answered, Hotaru laughed wickedly with a cool face.

"Of course not, though I'd like to see one of your bugs tease you."

The three of them gathered together as they watched some red particles already familiar to them, which flew to the side of the front of the station, some 200 meters ahead. No matter how crowded it was, it was easy for the insects to chase the fugitives because they could fly.

The three wizards ran towards the intersection on the way to the station. However, there was one person who was watching them. That person was Ida Kazumi. Seeing Takeshi desperately running next to that girl and then seeing two strange guys and a girl running in the same direction, caught Ida's attention.

"How rowdy..."

The three of them crossed the same street as Takeshi, running in the same direction and disappeared in the crowd. Ida looked at the traffic light that began to flicker, and slowly turned toward the shopping district and began to walk.

Part 12

On the second floor of the building in front of the station, there were the ticket machines where you pay the entrance fee to the station belonging to a private line. The commercial areas were in the basement and on the upper floors, so there were not many people on the second floor. Takeshi ran together with Kurumi, towards the building and they went inside, but when they were halfway there:

"Hey, why don't we run towards the store area?" Kurumi asked running behind him.

Takeshi then decided to go into the store area whose entrance was off to the side but he had to turn back a little from the path he had traveled. When Takeshi turned his eyes to look towards the entrance of the shopping district, he noticed that there was a guy coming from the other side of the ticket machines pushing people. That guy was Oigami. Seeing Takeshi suddenly stop and turn pale, Kurumi also looked back and shouted. But at that moment someone pulled Takeshi's arm from the side.

"Nanase, over here..."

"Ida? You... why...?"

Completely dumbfounded, Takeshi kept his eyes wide open as Ida forcibly grabbed his arm to pull them away.

"They are chasing you, aren't they? Come this way..."

Ida took them both into a narrow corridor hidden behind a pillar. And when she let go of Takeshi's arm, he began to run into the back of the corridor. A faint stench reached their nostrils. There was a toilet in the hallway and on a door, a sign that read 'authorized personnel only' but there was no time to dither about it. Takeshi turned to look at Kurumi as if to say that Ida was a trustworthy person, but while doing so he realized something and frowned.

"Hey, Isoshima, there seems to be something on your shoulder."

Kurumi was looking at Takeshi uneasily, but when he told her that, her face turned into a disgusted expression.

"Huh? An insect? Oh no... Take it off!!!!"

"Wait."

The insect was of a type they had never seen before. It appeared to be a small butterfly that exuded fluorescent vermilion-colored powder. But for some reason it lacked the characteristic vitality of living things. It looked fake, but it clung to Kurumi's shoulder. Takeshi flinched, threw the insect off Kurumi's shoulder and stomped it right where it landed.

"What was it, an insect? Or was it something else?"

"I don't know, maybe was an insect."

So that Kurumi wouldn't see what she had stepped on, Takeshi took her by the hand again and they kept walking.

"Hey, stop flirting and hurry up..." Ida shouted from beyond in frustration.

"I'm sorry."

Takeshi started running again. But he still didn't know where to go.

CHAPTER 4: Wizard's Rule

Part 1

Ida Kazumi was a student at Sakuraya High School. However, most of the time he did not wear his uniform. Not because he hated school (even though the teachers looked at him with suspicion, and his classmates made expressions as if there was a monster among them always holding him as the vilest). He just let it all go and took it easy, since he had promised his mother that he would graduate no matter what. Ida didn't have his father and therefore, she had become the most important thing so he would never betray her. He would never break his promise to her. Although his grades were not good, he was still within the necessary limit to pass the course.

During the three years he would be there, he would have to grudgingly put up with all the prejudices against him. There were very few students whom Ida could call "friends". (not to say that there were none) and no matter how hard he tried to make conversation with his classmates, it was more than clear that he was just a nuisance and they always looked at him with dread. For that reason, there came a time when he stopped doing so.

However, Nanase Takeshi treated him differently. To Ida, Takeshi was someone special even though he was not very talkative, not very studious. Just an average boy with a few friends in class, who attended the kendo club. He didn't excel at anything and wasn't too serious, so he was the perfect normal kid. The only unusual thing was that Takeshi had the same kind attitude with Ida that he had with other people. Perhaps, if the first time the two of them had spoken in the classroom, Ida might have disliked Takeshi. He had many friends with whom he got along very well, which was not a bad thing for Ida. Otherwise he would have considered the act of talking to him as an act of hypocrisy. However, Ida met Takeshi in a very different place than at school. Takeshi didn't remember that, but Ida kept it in the back of her mind.

It was a Sunday, when school was closed. Ida was standing with her younger sister in front of the station, but at one point they separated and she got lost. While he was looking for her, a series of mishaps occurred.

On a busy sidewalk, the sound of a bicycle falling was heard. Ida rushed to the scene with a bad feeling and indeed found his sister there crying. Every time he recalls that moment, Ida's hair stands on end. For it was Takeshi who was standing there, and with great aggression he trampled the bicycle lying on the ground and grabbed a delinquent riding on it by the neck causing him to get up while shouting at the guy in great anger.

What he understood from Takeshi's words was that the guy was riding the bicycle on the sidewalk at high speed. On the other hand, it seemed that the bike the guy was riding was dangerous, as it was one of those so-called "track bikes" that have no brakes equipped. The guy apologized when he understood that he might have hurt the little elementary school girl, Takeshi gave him a push and kicked the bike to the corner of the street.

Finally Ida approached her crying brother and although Takeshi looked at him, he didn't know it was Ida or that he was her classmate. At the time, Ida was wearing a large woolen cap that concealed his blonde hair as well as a particular flashy outfit. But even if he had been wearing a uniform, he would not have recognized him. Ida also didn't know that Takeshi was a classmate.

They had barely been attending high school for five days. Takeshi simply advised Ida not to let go of his little sister's hand and then left without further ado. The next day, Ida's astonishment when he ran into Takeshi in the classroom was monumental. Takeshi, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice anything, perhaps because he didn't remember.

But from that moment on, Takeshi became for Ida someone out of the ordinary in the classroom. As he watched him, he noticed that Takeshi had a big cut on the back of his hand, and then he remembered that his little sister had told him that Takeshi had stepped in front of the speeding bicycle and stopped it to protect her.

Takeshi's manner at school, compared to the angry Takeshi with that guy on the bike when he was on the street, had Ida completely confused. At school, Takeshi seemed like a serious and impeccable student, he was a very sociable person who could get along great with anyone. However, you could tell that he had suppressed his emotions as much as possible. In fact, he was someone who did not like to get involved in any kind of trouble and used to subtly move away from people who represented some kind of mishap in order not to get involved.

Hardly someone like that would get into a fight over someone else. But now, being classmates and friends, and also for having saved his little sister, Ida was helping Takeshi find an escape route, yet he couldn't help but be a little intrigued as well. For some reason, that stoic kendo student, whose girlfriend was none other than Isoshima Kurumi, the most desired girl by all the boys in the school. That Takeshi who never missed a single class, was running hand in hand with a woman with blond and curly hair (very beautiful by the way) who looked like a college student, trying to run away from some guys who were chasing them.

Seeing that situation, anyone would be interested. After the narrow hallway of the building, there was a cargo entrance. Ida went out that way, and suddenly while waiting behind a truck parked there for Takeshi to come out, he was completely stunned for a moment.

"Ishoshima? But how...?"

The woman who accompanied Takeshi out of the door was no longer the beauty he had seen before, but was Isoshima Kurumi. (Obviously Kurumi was also very beautiful). She stared at Ida who was stunned and asked:

"What, is it wrong for me to come too?"

"Hey, where is that beautiful onee-san who came with us?"

Ida shook her head from side to side, looking behind Takeshi for that girl, but there was only Kurumi. The curly-haired beauty had vanished.

"I'm sure I saw her." Ida looked coldly at Kurumi.

"Aah? you're sure you saw... what? I don't know what you're talking about."

Having been denied what he had seen, Ida, annoyed, turned to Takeshi.

"Nanase, where is the girl from earlier?"

However, Takeshi did not react in any way.

"Ehh..."

"That's enough, for God's sake! Remember that they're still chasing us." Kurumi said, pointing to the exit door.

At that moment both Takeshi and Ida tensed up.

"That's right, come this way!" Ida said, walking away from the truck and the building.

As she continued on her way, Kurumi held tightly to Takeshi's hand.

"Takeshi, I..."

"Ahh, you're back to your old self." Takeshi said, smiling at Kurumi who looked uncomfortable.

Certainly Kurumi's appearance was different until a while ago. It was when that girl from <the Trailers> named Hotaru started to forcibly apply lipstick on her, that she was surrounded with particles of magic power and changed her appearance. At first Takeshi was shocked to see that Kurumi had completely transformed into someone else as they ran while holding hands.

Her appearance was that of a young woman in her twenties with curly hair. Even they ran he couldn't help but cast sidelong glances at him from time to time, but he recognized the features of her own face. So I had a clear idea of what had happened. Kurumi had changed her appearance, probably increasing her age by 4 or 5 years. Takeshi pondered about the systematic magic the headmistress had mentioned.

If the guys in <the Trailers> had mentioned that Takeshi's magical affinity was "Evasive Magic", then Kurumi who had also become a wizard, must also have a magical affinity. Transformation magic had been something completely mind-blowing, but because Kurumi was frightened and bewildered by such a change, Takeshi was trying to handle the matter as delicately as possible.

"It seems that after a while you are back to normal." Takeshi mentioned with a shrug.

"I didn't feel like myself. It was awful." Kurumi replied.

"I like you just the way you are."

"Really?" Kurumi asked staring at him.

Takeshi nodded calmly and answered.

"Of course."

Hearing that Kurumi smiled. and putting her hand on her chest she thought, "I don't have to worry about that anymore."

Part 2

Although Ida had managed to get them out of the building, Takeshi stopped at a park near the station from where they had left. It was getting late, but they had decided to take a break as they were exhausted and thirsty from running in the heat. As it was summer, the park was practically empty. Takeshi and Kurumi sat together on a bench and Ida sat on a nearby swing. The three of them were drinking tea they had bought from a vending machine. But suddenly, Ida took out her cell phone and after looking at the screen for a while, exclaimed:

"I got an email from my sister!"

He stood up cheerfully and approached Takeshi and Kurumi.

"It looks like mom went out early today and is already home."

"She went out early?" Takeshi asked.

"Yes, our mother is a nurse. When she has to work at night, I have to be at home so that Futaba is not alone, so that's why they send me an email.

At that moment Ida started frantically operating her cell phone.

"Look, this is our Futaba."

He showed the screen of his cell phone to Takeshi and Kurumi.

"She's cute, isn't she?"

Seeing the image of an elementary school girl on the screen, Takeshi nodded with some hesitation.

"Y-Yeah..."

That elementary school girl shown in the picture had pigtails and was smiling, showing that she was missing her front teeth. Kurumi who was looking at the photo sitting next to Takeshi, had no reaction and muttered:

"Yes, more or less..."

There was no compliment in those words so Ida and Takeshi turned to look at Kurumi involuntarily.

"What?!" she asked

Seeing that both boys had stared at her, Kurumi turned away angrily.

"There's no need to get angry." Ida replied.

Ida let out a sigh, and Takeshi suddenly lowered his head apologetically.

"Why are you apologizing?" -Kurumi asked indignantly.

She pursed her lips and turned her face away from both of them again.

"Do you two... have siblings?" Ida asked as he put his cell phone in his pocket.

"I'm an only child," Kurumi answered with a sidelong glance.

"I thought so." Ida said instinctively.

Kurumi glared at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. And you Nanase?"

Takeshi hesitated to answer Ida.

"I..."

"He has a younger brother," Kurumi answered instead of Takeshi.

"Hee...your younger brother must be very serious and honest like you."

"..."

Takeshi didn't answer anything. It was very complicated to answer about what kind of person Gekkou was. even though he was his younger brother, he didn't know much about him.

"Hey, I'll go take a look around the station. They don't know me after all."

Ida had noticed how thoughtful Takeshi had been getting, so he finished the conversation and after throwing the plastic bottle of whatever he had been drinking into the trash can, immediately ran out of the park. Takeshi drank tea from a plastic bottle that had already warmed up in his hands. Whenever it was about Gekkou, Takeshi simply could not be calm. Sitting next to him, Kurumi noticed Takeshi's melancholy expression.

"Still not?" she asked.

At Kurumi's words that sounded like a complaint, Takeshi replied:

"It's useless..."

"If you want, I can talk to Gekkou." said Kurumi.

"Don't even try."

He didn't want anyone to go between him and Gekkou. That was Takeshi's thinking and Kurumi was aware of that. But now Kurumi is trying to do something different.

"Listen, it wasn't your fault."

"..."

"It was an accident."

Takeshi had said those same words to himself on more than one occasion. Doctors, nurses at the hospital and his parents had all said the same thing to him. Everyone had said it except Gekkou. Since only Gekkou and himself knew what really happened.

"It was my fault. I pushed him and that's why he..."

"Even if you pushed him, I know you didn't do it on purpose. You and Gekkou are rare boys."

"..."

Takeshi was aware that Kurumi was saying that because she was worried, but his patience had run out and he was holding back from yelling "Leave me alone" at her. For him, there was no excuse for forgiving someone who ruins his little brother's promising future. Besides, Takeshi lived remembering more clearly than anyone else, the exact moment when he pushed him. He had clearly pushed Gekkou with his own hand into the road.

It happened during the summer vacation two years ago. Takeshi and Gekkou were on their way home after practicing Kendo in the neighborhood dojo. In the evening when the heat had already gone down, they were walking along a very narrow road which didn't even have anything that could be called sidewalks, just a couple of white lines painted on each side.

The two conversed in the most natural way as they walked ahead of each other. Unlike Takeshi who was able to control his anger, Gekkou had a completely angry personality. Gekkou was someone who did not like to lose. There were many occasions when he would end up arguing with other people.

That day was no different, on the walk Gekkou insisted on being the first to take a shower when they got home. As usual, Takeshi simply agreed saying there was no problem. Most of the time as an older brother, it was best to let Gekkou do as he pleased, as it was no bother to him. It was at that moment when Gekkou who was walking ahead changed the topic of conversation.

"Hey, Takeshi..."

"What?"

Since long ago, Gekkou used to refer to his older brother only as "Takeshi".

"I wanted to talk to you about Kurumi..."

Takeshi didn't notice, but Gekkou stuttered a little as if what he was about to say was something embarrassing and difficult to say.

"What's going on with Isoshima?" Takeshi asked.

"You know, there are rumors going around the school that you are dating her, did you know that?"

"Yeah, I knew."

It turns out that just two weeks after Kurumi suffered the stalker attack, Takeshi made a deal with her to pretend to be her boyfriend. It didn't take long for that rumor to spread around the school, which Takeshi quickly found out about. But obviously no one was telling it like it really was. Neither did Gekkou.

"I've denied it as much as possible, but I think you should also say that it's not true." Gekkou continued.

However, Takeshi kept silent, thinking about what to do with what Gekkou (who didn't believe the rumors) was advising him to do.

"Takeshi?"

Turning back a little Gekkou called out to the silent Takeshi. Takeshi didn't like to lie to Gekkou, so he had to do the inevitable and tell him the truth.

"The truth is, Isoshima and I are dating."

"W-what are you saying? You're lying right?"

Turning back completely, Gekkou was dumbfounded.

"I'm not lying, it's truth."

Eyes wide with shock, Gekkou couldn't believe it even though he heard it clearly from Takeshi's mouth.

"W-Wait a second. Why would you and Kurumi do that so spontaneously? I mean, I know you're childhood friends but... you hadn't said anything."

With nothing more to say to the bewildered Gekkou, Takeshi kept silent again. On the other hand, Gekkou began to mutter.

"Takeshi and Kurumi don't make a good couple..."

But no matter how much he protested, Takeshi was not to blame.

"That's the way it is."

After saying that, he went ahead of Gekkou to get home earlier.

"I don't understand... what's going on?"

While shouting Gekkou followed Takeshi.

"Why are you angry? It shouldn't be something that matters to you."

"Of course I care!"

Suddenly, Gekkou grabbed Takeshi by the bogu bag hanging on his back.

"Hey..."

Pulling back, he made Takeshi stop in his tracks. A huge truck sped past on that narrow, two-lane street, coming very close to brushing Takeshi.

"You're an ordinary guy, even I'm better at Kendo than you!" Gekkou exclaimed.

"Be careful..." Takeshi said, thinking more about the place where they were, than what his brother was saying.

"I'm closer to Kurumi than you are!"

Gekkou let go of Takeshi's bogu bag who still hadn't tidied up his bad posture, and stepped forward to try to run away.

"Hey, wait!"

At that moment, Takeshi grabbed Gekkou's shoulder.

"Let me go!"

"Listen, this whole thing was not my idea. You have no right to protest what she decided to do."

"Ahh!? That means you used Kurumi's trauma with the stalker to your advantage, right? That's the most vile thing you could have done, Takeshi."

"You're wrong."

"That's enough. Get off me!"

Gekkou forcibly got rid of Takeshi's hand and pushed Takeshi's chest making him retreat a few steps. Gekkou himself also moved back a little from the force of the push.

"Gekkou!"

At that moment a white colored car jumped into Takeshi's sight approaching from the left lane. Gekkou, who was in front, could see the car more clearly.

"Aah?"

Gekkou stopped as his bogu bag slipped off his shoulder.

"Gekkou!"

For some reason that Takeshi didn't understand, he ended up pushing Gekkou unconsciously. He may have just been trying to pull Gekkou away from danger and a miscalculation of distance caused him to push him instead of grabbing him, but regardless of the reason, it didn't change what happened.

That hand with which he tried to grab his brother Gekkou's arm, pushed him off the shoulder and Gekkou's body leaned towards the inside of the road within the reach of that white vehicle that finally ended up hitting him full force sending him flying through the air.

Takeshi stood completely motionless watching Gekkou fall to the ground. After his parents rushed to the scene in a short time Gekkou was rushed to a hospital. There, he had to undergo surgery. Meanwhile, no matter how many times Takeshi was asked about what happened, he didn't say anything because he didn't know what to answer. His memories before and after what happened had been clouded and he was so shocked that he could not even speak.

"We had to operate on his son's right knee in order to reconstruct the meniscus."

What the doctor had said after the operation was like a nightmare for Takeshi.

"He will recover after rehabilitation. I don't think he'll have any trouble walking after this."

Next to his tearful mother and silent father, Takeshi lay completely confused. But the restlessness wouldn't leave him alone and he asked the doctor a question. In his mind he thought everything would be all right, but still, he had to ask for gekkou's sake and also for your own sake.

"Doctor, Gekkou practices Kendo. Will he be able to continue to do so after this?"

The doctor frowned and stared at him.

"It will be very difficult for him to return to sports. If he does, it will put a great strain on his bad knee."

"It can't be... that's terrible." The mother burst into tears again.

Hearing such news for her parents, who had always shown favoritism towards the innocent Gekkou, was as if they had heard their own death sentence. The mother was still crying while the father, with an expression that seemed to be either fury or frustration, bowed his head.

With a slight sobbing that caused a great pressure in his chest, Takeshi's mind sank into a dense fog. And from that day on, every time Takeshi thinks of Gekkou, his mind goes into complete darkness. Naturally he considered giving up kendo. The reason he had not quit, however, was because he had to accept reality. Giving up kendo was not going to make Gekkou well. However, in the dojo they began to view him in a hostile manner. But Takeshi continued to attend the dojo alone until he graduated from high school.

There, there was no place for him anymore. And the situation at home also changed completely, as Takeshi began to be treated as a stranger. His mother had worn down from accompanying Gekkou in his arduous rehabilitation work and looked very haggard. His father would sink into work to avoid coming home, and Takeshi, silent, avoided talking to them and behaved as if he were a ghost. After two years, Takehsi had never had a conversation with Gekkou again.

Even if he tried, Gekkou would simply ignore him and walk away clicking his tongue in disgust. It was completely impossible to get along with him. For that reason, the two years spent under those conditions had become eternal.

While Kurumi was talking bringing up the subject of Gekkou, Takeshi had remained pensive, however, his body was shaken by a spontaneous electronic sound. He immediately reached into the bogu bag he was carrying across and pulled out his cell phone that was ringing. He answered the call quickly the screen without seeing who it was.

"Hello..."

The reply was immediate.

<Takeshi-kun?!>

"Mui?"

<You know, I think it's dangerous to be there after all. I want you to go back to the academy the way I taught you.>

Because it was the second time they talked on the phone, Takeshi looked more relieved than surprised by Mui's sudden call.

"You're right, I thought it would be better to go back too. Those guys just ambushed us a while ago."

<Are you ok?>

"Yeah, we somehow managed to lose them, but it doesn't look like they're going to give up easily."

As Takeshi spoke, he noticed Kurumi beside him, watching him with some suspicion and for some reason he frowned. Takeshi tried to flash her a smile, but Kurumi's displeased expression didn't change.

<Do you have any mirrors nearby that are big enough? If you can find one, you can come back here right away.>

After hearing those words from Mui, Takeshi stood up. However, because the place they were in was a small park, it didn't seem to have bathrooms where he could find mirrors.

"It's useless. There are no mirrors nearby." Takeshi replied after glancing around.

<Is there any other place nearby where you can find a mirror?>

"Well... considering where we are, the school is the closest thing we have."

the school was located somewhere in between his house and that park.

<The school? That's fine. I'm on my way there right now. I'll come for you,> Mui replied.

"It's not necessary. I remember well how to get back."

<Do you really think you'll be ok?> Mui insisted.

but Takeshi answered with an unexpected tone full of confidence:

"Yeah, don't worry. So, I'll meet you in the hall of mirrors."

<Okay.>

After ending the call with Mui, Takeshi faced Kurumi and her annoyed expression, but before he could explain anything, Kurumi asked:

"Since when did that girl have your number?"

"Since before we came back."

"Huh..."

Putting the cell phone back in the briefcase, Takeshi felt strange again the fact that Mui was in an academy located in a different world. The original World and The Ruined World, they were connected through a phone call.

When they exchanged numbers, Mui had told him that she had used magic on his cell phone which was similar to the portals in the mirrors in order to connect the two worlds. There was a moment when she had taken the battery out of Takeshi's cell phone, so it had possibly been at that moment when she had done her magic stuff. Kurumi let out a heavy sigh after hearing about what Takeshi had talked to Mui on the phone and said:

"Well, she's right, we can't go back home, so we have no choice."

However, Ida, who had returned just as Takeshi was talking on the phone, had no idea what was going on.

"So... What were you talking about?"

Based on his demeanor, he didn't seem to have run into the guys chasing them anywhere in the park. Takeshi didn't say anything and just apologized to him as he walked with Kurumi out of the park as it was too complicated to explain the matter to Ida at that moment.

"I'm sorry Ida. You helped us a lot. But it's time to leave this place."

Ida started to follow them while looking at both of them with concern.

"Are you really all right?"

"Of course"

After watching the two of them leave the park for the school, Ida didn't turn away and began to run after them.

"I'm a little worried about you, so I'll go with you to school."

"You don't need to trouble..."

"Don't worry, it's no trouble at all."

In fact, Ida was interested to know the reason why Takeshi had such a varied personality. Was he just pretending to be gentle, or was his attitude towards the guy who was going to run over his sister just because he had some pent-up anger? Whatever the case, he wanted to know. Takeshi didn't suspect any of that, and had no idea what to say to Ida, so he simply headed for the school in order to put an end to the pursuit of those guys once and for all.

Part 3

At around five o'clock in the afternoon, Takeshi appeared with Kurumi and Ida at the back door of the Sakuraya academy.

"We are fine now, you can go back home if you want." Takeshi said to Ida.

He had allowed Ida to accompany them to that point, but it was no longer convenient for him to stay with them. If he were to look at what would happen to the mirror, it would become a problem. Ida, however, who had no idea of anything, flatly refused and replied:

"Don't worry about me. I can come home late."

Takeshi was surprised by Ida's answer and turned to look Kurumi in the eyes with concern. She didn't know what to advise him and simply shook her head. The three of them continued on their way and because the back door of the institute was open, they were able to enter without any problems.

"Hey, why did you have to go back to school?" Ida asked.

"We just came to get something I forgot. That's why I was telling you that you didn't need to come with us." Takeshi answered conveniently.

Ida tilted her head thoughtfully and said:

"Wow, since I saw that you were talking on your cell phone and then said you were coming to school, I thought you were coming because someone was waiting for you here."

Apparently Ida had overheard part of the conversation Takeshi had with Mui over the phone and his speculation, despite not knowing anything, was very accurate.

"No, you see... it's just that today I had to return something I borrowed, but I left it forgotten here."

Although he was still confused, Ida completely believed Takeshi's story as it seemed congruent and nodded.

"I see... hun... hun... hun..."

Ida started to walk towards the high school building, but was suddenly stopped abruptly by Takeshi who grabbed him by his clothes.

"Ida, that's enough, I appreciate your help."

"Well, even if you tell me that, those strange guys might still be around. I can't just sit around with my arms crossed. I'm too used to action."

"that's because you're a brute." Kurumi said in complete shock.

Ida turned to look at Kurumi and replied:

"I'm no brute, and even if you see me that way, I'm not someone looking for trouble. Fighting is a very normal thing for a student to do."

"Fighting is not a normal thing!"

"What are you talking about? Even your boyfriend, he fights in the street."

At that statement, Kurumi frowned and said:

"Takeshi would never do that."

"Hey, do you think so?"

Ida turned to Takeshi with a suspicious look.

"I don't really like to fight." Takeshi clarified.

When Kurumi heard that statement, she smiled triumphantly saying:

"There you go."

"Ah... Well, even if you say that..." Ida muttered.

A few months ago, when Takeshi helped Futaba, he probably would have fought that guy for her. Maybe he didn't remember he was hiding it. But, even so, Ida had no intention of backing down and continued on his way silently to the classroom they belonged to. He had no intention of backing out, even if he was hiding that event, it was enough that he himself remembered it, so he continued steadily and silently towards the school where his classroom was located. However, Takeshi stopped him again immediately.

"Ida, seriously. You can't come with us anymore."

"but..."

Since they hadn't been able to get rid of him, Kurumi intervened:

"Thank you for your help, but stop being such a pain."

She had to speak harshly despite Ida's good intentions. And she spoke to him so clearly and directly, that Ida was soon in a bad mood and replied:

"For not being from Osaka, you have a very sharp tongue."

Kurumi rebutted:

"How dare you say that to me? I see that you not only look bad, you also talk bad."

"W-what are you saying?"

Ida pointed at Kurumi pretending to be scared.

"Nanase, you should reconsider being with her. I don't think it's going to lead to anything good. Even if she's cute on the outside, she's a witch on the inside."

Takeshi made a bitter smile thinking: "she's not a witch, I think it would be more correct to call her a "wizard" and then he answered:

"More or less..."

Hearing that, Kurumi turned to look quickly.

"Hey, Takeshi!"

"I'm kidding." Takeshi replied, raising his hand.

Kurumi then looked away. Then Takeshi turned to Ida:

"However, Ida, I'm serious when I tell you that you can't accompany us anymore. please go back home."

At Takeshi's insistence, Ida had no choice but to agree.

"Well, if you say you'll be all right, then I'll leave."

Ida went back through the back door where they had entered and Takeshi and Kurumi waited until he was out of sight. They looked around and there was no sign of their pursuers either.

"There must be a big mirror on the second floor of the building." Kurumi said.

Then Takeshi vaguely remembered: On the second floor of the school building where the classrooms were located, there were both personal lockers for storing shoes and for storing things, and right there, there was also a huge mirror donated by the graduates. However, Takeshi did not head straight for that place.

"Before we go there, there's a place I want to pass by."

He walked to the opposite side, heading for the Kendo Club room. Kurumi didn't ask any questions, and simply followed him.

Part 4

After passing by the kendo club, Takeshi and Kurumi headed to the school building where the first year classrooms were located. It was already past five in the afternoon, and all the other students had already left.

Although the teachers were probably still in the teachers's lounge, the school was already silent. Outside there was still daylight as the sun had not completely set, but as soon as they entered the school building, everything became very dark and the atmosphere had become a bit gloomy. The large room with the shoe lockers on the second floor was a wide hallway where the lockers were located on either side. Suddenly when they got there, Takeshi, felt shivers and looked around.

"What is this? I have a bad feeling..." thought Takeshi

And he wasn't wrong, because right behind the lockers, a man appeared. It was Oigami Takao from <the Trailers>. Seeing him, Takeshi quickly stretched his arms out to the sides and made Kurumi stand behind him.

"Wow, it's my lucky day! Oigami said with a big smile.

He immediately stood in front of the mirror Takeshi was looking for, which was installed on one of the columns of the place. Most likely, they had already foreseen what Takeshi would try to do.

"It seems that Ushiwaka was right." Oigami exclaimed.

As he smiled, he placed his hand on the hilt of one of the swords on his leather belt and then glared at Takeshi. For his part, Takeshi tightly clenched an object he was holding in his hands. Something he had gotten for the sole purpose of defending himself. However, he didn't think he would have to use it so soon. It was just before reaching where the lockers were, that Takeshi made a stop by the Kendo Club hall and picked up a wooden sword that a senpai had left behind.

"You are very stubborn." Takeshi commented in bewilderment.

Then, he raised the wooden sword he held in his right hand.

Possibly, there would already be one of them watching his house. Therefore, Takeshi was relieved that he hadn't run over there. If the Ghost Trailers had intercepted him at his house, his family would probably have been caught up in the affair. He wasn't going to let both Gekkou and his parents get into any more trouble because of him.

In response to Takeshi's gesture, Oigami also slowly drew one of the swords from its sheath.

"Of course." Oigami replied.

Wizards usually hide themselves very well and that's why it's hard for us to find them. But in your case, we even knew your address. So we weren't going to let you go just like that.

The wooden sword Takeshi held was heavier than the bamboo sword he normally used, but it had the advantage that it was much easier to handle with bare hands. Takeshi wondered how he was going to cope with Oigami.

If he let too much time pass, his allies would appear at any moment. And if that happened, he would be at a total disadvantage and with no chance of victory. His only alternative was to make it through the mirror, since they would not be able to follow them. As he had been told before: the Trailers would never enter the Academy because it was neutral territory.

They could not carry out battles inside the Academy, let alone take any wizard with them. However, Takeshi was afraid to fight Oigami again using only that wooden sword. His opponent's weapon was to be feared. He had previously managed to face him and escape, because he had been lucky and, on the other hand, he was also fully aware of Oigami's training and combat skills, for he did not move his sword just like that as he had thought at first.

Oigami with the mirror at his back, was at a distance of approximately about five meters from him. But it was not necessary to defeat him. He simply had to be made to move from there in order to escape to the Academy. Takeshi took a deep breath and, using that wooden sword, adopted a combat stance. Seeing that, Oigami adopted the same stance. However, there was one doubt that plagued Takeshi about the Trailers: He wondered why the Trailers had been chasing them so hard.

Takeshi and Kurumi were just a couple of rookies who knew nothing about magic, so there was no reason why the Trailers would try so hard to recruit them into their ranks. There was an undercurrent to the whole thing, so as he kept his wooden sword fixed on Oigami, he asked:

"I doubt very much that you actually want to join us to <the Trailers>, is your real plan to capture Mui?

Oigami was surprised to hear that so suddenly, and then smiled.

"Huh. So you got it. Well, I do. You see... Capturing wizards is the lowest-level job we have. Taking you guys away wouldn't really do us any good. It's the graduated wizards that are really worth it for <the Trailers>. However, Aiba Mui is different. That girl is on the same level as Tsuganashi. That's why we want to have her with us as quickly as possible. Aiba Mui is looking out for you guys, isn't she, for that reason if we capture you guys, she will eventually appear.

Takeshi was annoyed to hear that his guess was just as he had imagined. Then he said:

"What, a ridiculous reason like that?"

"I don't really like taking hostages. However, orders are orders so there's no other way." Oigami replied, twisting his mouth as if he was really bothered by the matter. Then Takeshi asked something else:

"Where are your friends?"

But obviously Oigami didn't answer that and instead asked:

"Do you think I'm going to tell you?"

Ta seemed that Ogami was not as dumb as he looked. However, Takeshi knew that time was running out for him, so he proceeded to hold his wooden sword tightly.

"You're right. Cut the chatter and get out of there."

"Are you really planning to face me using a wooden sword? This time I'm not going to give you a single blow."

"Don't worry, last time it was me who was holding back," Takeshi replied.

And seeing that said with a calm expression. Oigami showed his teeth in annoyance and replied:

"Even as a joke, that's irritating."

At that, Oigami quickly ran with his sword in front swinging it to attack Takeshi. But before he barely caught a glimpse of the silver line formed by the enemy sword, Takeshi clenched his teeth tightly. Just as Oigami had boasted earlier, it didn't look like he was going to throw a simple slap strike with the sword blade, as the blade came with the edge in front ready to kill anyone who came in contact with it. Still, he convinced himself that it was just a Kendo duel. He had practiced it for years and was ready for whatever came his way.

He quickly dodged that attack and with his wooden sword, repelled downward a second attack coming in the direction of his head. Oigami gave no rest and continued with multiple quick attacks. But Takeshi repelled each one as he swung his wooden sword back and forth, forcing Oigami to retreat.

For a moment they stood still as they stared at each other. That is until Oigami started again with his attacks, but this time, Takeshi didn't stay to wait for his attack and ran towards Oigami almost at the same time as him. Takeshi looked at his opponent's sword which, unlike his own, was a real one. Its edge moved with absolute swiftness.

However, he couldn't say the same about the one using it. That is why by calculating the angle of his hands holding the sword, its depth, strength, he was able to guess the point of descent of the blade and counter it with his wooden sword. And the moment both the real sword and the wooden sword crossed, they rubbed against each other producing an ugly sound.

The vibration made Takeshi's hands tremble. Oigami, contrary to what Takeshi expected, did not give in. On the contrary, Oigami seeing his sword imprisoned under Takeshi's wooden sword, released his sword with one of his hands from the sword and with the other proceeded to draw his other sword from the belt on the right side of his hip and with it, aimed at Takeshi's throat. However, his movements were still within Takeshi's prediction range. The blade of the sword passed to Takeshi's side, but instead, the wooden sword stabbed into Oigami's left shoulder.

"Damn... you..."

Although the blow was painful, Oigami still made a side attack with a horizontal slash towards Takeshi. However, that attack without force, only left him even more vulnerable. Takeshi, without a word, easily repelled that side attack coming from the right and taking advantage of the trajectory of his arm did a wrist flip and swung his arm back hitting Oigami's chest in the process.

"Guuuuuuu..."

Oigami raised a groan, and loosened his sword for the first time, and just at that moment, he moved a little away from mirror so Takeshi exclaimed:

"Isoshima! It's our chance! Go towards the mirror..."

"It can't be... I... I... I can't do it."

"You know how to do it, don't you?!" Takeshi shouted quickly as if trying to dispel Kurumi's fearful voice.

"Yes, I know how to do it, but... I can't leave you here."

At that moment, Oigami clutching his chest, looked up and glared at Takeshi with hate-filled eyes.

"Stop being distracted by her!" He exclaimed, adopting his stance again.

Oigami's posture was no longer as it was at the beginning and Takeshi seemed to have forgotten that he was wielding a wooden sword instead of a bamboo one which was more forceful. Perhaps it was his willpower, but, although Oigami was possessed of a fanatical physique, he did not deliver the blows as he should, but he did take them well. Oigami attacked this time, but Takeshi reacted immediately.

"Takeshi!!!" Kurumi shouted.

Both her shout and Takeshi's reaction happened almost at the same time. However, Oigami's sword penetrated a few centimeters into the edge of the wooden sword. Oigami had to pull hard to dislodge it, dropping pieces of splinters.

"Isoshima, please go away!"

It was much better for Takeshi that she, at least, had the chance to escape through the mirror since being there, she couldn't fully concentrate on the fight. Kurumi realized that, so she kept silent.

In the face of Oigami's fierce attack, Takeshi responded by defending himself and counterattacking, but his wooden sword had just been cut and cracked so it had become thin and fragile. Takeshi had to remove Oigami from in front of the mirror by any means necessary.

There was no need to defeat him. That was why he had been on the defensive, backing away periodically in order to lure Oigami towards him and eventually away from the mirror. Kurumi knew this. Therefore, she began to walk slowly and stealthily towards the mirror. And after advancing two meters, the fight between Takeshi and Oigami became serious. When Oigami attacked again and Takeshi blocked. Then, they took a moment which Takeshi took the opportunity to follow Kurumi's advance with his eyes. However, Oigami suddenly ran up and clashed his sword hard against Takeshi's wooden sword once again....

"H-hey!"

"Ah, what a nuisance. enough of fighting your way."

Takeshi was preparing to counterattack hard, but his right foot was suddenly stomped by Oigami.

"In a real fight, anything goes, and here, it will be no different." Oigami declared.

Suddenly, Takeshi received a blow to the temple from him, making him close his eyes involuntarily. The force of the blow stunned him, but he did not fall. When he opened his eyes again, the silhouette of Oigami's sword pommel was faintly reflected in them. He couldn't move back due to his right foot still being trampled.

"You couldn't move could you?"

Oigami hit Takeshi's side with his left fist which was unoccupied.

"Ah...?"

A second time, Takeshi was stunned which finally led him to lose his balance. As his gaze became blurry and the pain faded, he finally fell to his knees.

Seeing Takeshi in that state, Kurumi could not keep calm and shouted.

"Takeshi!"

But even though Kurumi wanted to help him, there was nothing she could do. Even being the manager of the kendo club, she had barely touched the bamboo swords a few times.

"I'm sorry, but it seems that, in real combat, I am superior." said Oigami.

Oigami again tried to hit Takeshi with the handle of the sword as, even with him on the ground, he had every intention of beating him up. But just at that moment, Kurumi raised a sudden shout.

"Haha, I did it! I finally caught you, sweetheart!"

Oigami stopped his hand and saw Ushiwaka, who had appeared from the shadow of a pillar, while holding Kurumi with a smile.

"What are you going to do now, mister hero?" Oigami asked Takeshi in a mocking tone.

After that, he kicked him making him lie completely on the ground.

"L-let me go...!" Kurumi shouted while struggling with Ushiwaka.

"Isoshima...!" shouted Takeshi.

However, already lying down, his voice sounded devoid of energy.

"Okay, Ushiwaka. Take her first."

"Roger that!"

After Oigami gave Ushiwaka directions by pointing to a place with his chin, Ushiwaka happily dragged Kurumi to the front of the mirror.

"Ta-Takeshi...!"

"Stop...! Take your hands off Isoshima...!"

Oigami stomped on Takeshi's back and burst out laughing saying:

"Ah? Instead of worrying about her, you should worry about yourself."

Ushiwaka for his part put his hand on the surface of the mirror.

"Well, sweetheart. It's time to take you to our HQ. After altering your memories, I will ask to make you my girl."

His intention was to open a portal in the mirror to take her to the collapsed world.

"No! Takeshiii...!!!"

Kurumi screamed in terror, but no matter how loudly she called out to him, Takeshi was unable to get up. Suddenly, a whimper was heard. one that came neither from Takeshi nor Kurumi. but from the smiling Ushiwaka. There was an arm sticking out of the mirror holding a gun and it had hit Ushiwaka hard on the head.

"Ugh..."

Ushiwaka let go of Kurumi and after stepping back a few steps, he fell to the ground. and from that mirror, a black-haired girl, wearing the uniform of Subaru Magic Academy emerged. She watched Ushikawa with Kurumi and then Takeshi with Oigami with a tense expression and said:

"I knew something like this would happen..."

"Mui..."

Oigami still on top of Takeshi who was showing some relief, smiled broadly and said:

"Ha... I knew you would come for this guy."

Takeshi blanched as he remembered that the real goal of Oigami and his henchmen was to capture Mui.

"Why did you come?" Takeshi reproached her.

Mui pursed his lips at the scolding and said:

"Didn't you want me to come?"

"It's just that, the target of these guys is actually you."

-Yes, I knew that already....

"Then why?..."

"because in spite of that, my top priority is to protect you, Takeshi-kun."

Mui raised his gun slowly pointing it at Oigami.

"Besides, I was the one who turned you into a wizard and I told you that I would take responsibility for the rest of my life."

"..."

Takeshi just stared silently at Mui, as if she had just shot him important feelings. However, Kurumi suddenly burst into the mood of both of them.

"Wait a second, what do you mean by all that?" She asked, looking at Mui with an expression of intolerance towards that last comment.

Mui noticed that, and held out her hand to Kurumi with concern.

"Are you okay, Isoshima-san?"

Mui was trying to help Kurumi, as she was on her knees.

"Let me...! I didn't ask for your help."

After refusing Mui's hand, Kurumi quickly stood up and pursed her lips, turning away in annoyance. Mui simply shrugged her shoulders, but in the next moment, Ushiwaka who was still lying on the ground, opened his eyes, sat up and shouted.

"Take this, 'Brocon' girl...!!!"

Immediately a magic circle made up of glowing red particles appeared on the ground just below him. From there, something flew out like arrows to hit Mui's right arm. She felt a painful sting, so she proceeded to quickly remove it from her arm. Said object, which had black and yellow stripes, fell near her feet.

"Uh... uh... what?"

On her arm, the insect's abdomen was still stuck, and even though it had been crushed, it was still trying to dig itself deeper into her skin. So she removed it completely and threw it away. However, the affected area immediately turn pale.

"Hahaha! My bee has stung you. As of this moment, you have 24 hours before your arm rots completely. But I can give you the antidote if you come with us."

Ushiwaka was looking at the face of the discolored Mui, and it was almost the same time when Oigami instantly threw a cold word making him notice the mistake he had made.

"You idiot!"

The moment Oigami muttered that regretfully, red particles started to come out of Ushiwaka's body.

"Huh...? What?"

The magic particles began to rise like water vapor from his arms, legs and from under his clothes. His hair began to rise and then his entire body began to slowly rise into the air as well.

Ushiwaka began to whimper being aware of what was about to happen to him. He started to call for help, but no one could reach him, as he was kicking three meters above the ground. The red particles expelled from Ushiwaka's body formed a red mist that began to swirl above his head in a whirlpool until it formed a funnel like a tornado which expanded even more.

But suddenly, everything stopped. That vortex of energy was expelled as if it had been swallowed by the dim sky, dropping Ushiwaka as if he were a puppet whose strings had just been cut, and then he fainted with his eyes wide open and completely blank.

"W-what was that?" Takeshi asked in a terrified voice. Oigami who still had his foot on him, answered:

"It is the effect of the spell called <Gift>. It happens to any wizard who, being in The living World, uses his systematic magical to attack an opponent for the purpose of harming him."

Oigami observed Ushikawa lying on the ground with a cold stare and then let out a spit saying:

"He has lost all his magic powers."

Takeshi watched Ushiwaka in terror, as if what he was looking at was his corpse, for it seemed that he had lost more than just his magic. It could be said that magic was like a vital force, and it was that vitality that had just been taken from him.

Mui with his face turning pale, passed the weapon from his right hand to his left and said:

"The living World, is like a cursed land for us wizards. We have rules we must abide by when we are here. Or else our magic is taken away from us forever."

"Wizard's rules?"

"That's right. <Gift> makes no distinction between <Trailers> and <Wizard's Breath>."

Hearing that, Oigami gritted his teeth and added:

"Right. It's a damn shitty spell that screws us all up equally."

"However, we can say that, thanks to that we've been able to keep the peace in this world." Mui clarified.

Oigami took his foot off Takeshi and objected to Mui's words.

"That's not quite true. <Gift> not only strips a wizard of his magic, but also steals it to give it to someone. What do they do with that stolen magic? The wizard who receive the stolen magic is from <Wizard's Breath>, right?

Mui said nothing and simply looked askance at Oigami who looked back at him in the same way.

"Well, whatever. It's not like I care. However, what I do care about is that we continue the fight, but even if I say that, how will you do it? You can't use your right arm and I doubt very much that the girl who only changes shape can be my opponent."

Using his left arm, Mui pointed his gun at Oigami who was laughing because his opponents were no longer up to the task and then said:

"We'll see..."

Takeshi was surprised to see Mui's intention to fight.

"Don't do it, Mui..."

If what he had just been told was true and Mui dared to attack Oigami, he would suffer the same fate as Ushiwaka and end up losing his magic. However, Mui completely ignored Takeshi's warning and without a word, pulled the trigger. A pale yellow flash shot out towards Oigami.

Quickly Mui fired two more quick shots behind the first. Takeshi turned his gaze towards Oigami almost involuntarily and could see that Mui's shot which seemed to be some kind of electric charge, deflected just inches away from Oigami's chest.

Likewise, the light aces of the other two shots did not hit Oigami either and were deflected sideways as if blocked by some kind of invisible barrier and ended up impacting a row of the metal lockers producing a shrill sound and leaving three huge holes in them. Oigami let out a merciless laugh at Takeshi who looked completely stunned at the result.

"Hey, Aiba Mui. You have no idea what my systematic magic is, do you?

"Oigami Takao... your systematic magic is evasive magic. You are a wizard capable of deflecting any spell by your ability called <Vanishing Cloud>. Even if you attack me while inside the living world, you will not be affected by <Gift> and deprived of your magic thanks to it."

At Mui's clear and concise answer, Oigami nodded with delight.

"Exactly. There is no magic that is capable of hitting me. And since you know that, it would be best if you gave up."

"..."

However, Mui stubbornly raised the barrel of his gun again and pointed it at Oigami once more saying:

"In that case, how about this...?"

Oigami stretched out her arms confidently waiting for the shot she was about to fire.

"<STARS!>"

The moment Mui exclaimed that word, a blinding flash shot out from the muzzle of the gun affecting not only Oigami but also Takeshi on the spot.

"Uaaa!"

They covered their eyes, but that intense white light was already engraved in their retinas.

"<FLOAT>" Mui exclaimed this time.

As soon as he heard Mui's voice, Takeshi felt his body rise from the ground. He had been set to levitate in the air as if propelled by a gust of air. And when he finally started to open his eyes with difficulty, he found Mui standing in front of him.

"Takeshi-kun, can you get up?"

Reacting to her call, Takeshi realized that Mui's strategy had been to use magic to distract Oigami away from him.

"I'm fine. But that was a bit rough what you did."

Shuffling his hand with the wooden sword held firmly, Takeshi forced his aching body to stand up.

"So it was just a distraction," Oigami muttered, clicking his tongue in annoyance.

"Magic isn't just for attacking." Mui replied smiling as he took a stance with his weapon.

However, just as Mui and Oigami were confronting each other again, a voice came from the side:

"What's happened, what's all this?"

Ida Kazumi was the one who entered the room holding a person in his arms and glancing around.

"Ida-kun!?"

"Ida!"

Kurumi and Takeshi involuntarily exclaimed his name.

"Who the hell are you and why do you have Hotaru with you?" asked Oigami, who seemed to be the only one puzzled by the sudden appearance of the unknown boy.

Ida had Hotaru with him, the other member of <the Trailers>.

"Well, when I met her, I tried to chat with her, but she suddenly attacked me. Since I was surprised, I punched her. Obviously at that instant I thought it was a guy. But my surprise was greater when I approached her and realized that she was actually a girl.

Ida was calmly explaining the matter while composing her striking blonde hair after having laid Hotaru down on the wall lockers.

"But why did you come back...?" Kurumi asked in surprise.

Ida simply shrugged his shoulders and answered:

"For nothing special. It's just that seeing these guys chasing them from the station to the school, I figured they would set some kind of ambush. Besides, when I talked to this girl, before attacking me she told me: 'you are one of his friends' So I guess they realized that I was with you."

Kurumi was aware of what could happen to Ida for coming back and then she said with concern:

"Ida-kun, run home as fast as you can before you get involved in this."

"Don't worry about that. I'm already involved anyway."

"You don't seem to know what you're getting into."

"It doesn't matter, I'll be fine. Or so I think..."

Kurumi ducked her head at Ida's words that were completely unfounded. Her warnings had gone in one ear Ida and out the other.

"Uwa! What's with your comically large sword? it is real?" Ida asked as he looked at the sword in Oigami's hand.

He then turned his gaze to Mui's gun and was completely dumbfounded. Kurumi was going to scold him, but as soon as she lifted her face and looked at him, her shocked expression became almost the same as his and she exclaimed:

"H-hey, Ida-kun!"

"What's wrong?"

"Y-your hand..."

Ida's right hand was glowing with an orange light.

"My hand...?"

Ida looked down and stared at his own hand. His eyes widened as he saw what was happening.

"UWAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

His hand, had become engulfed in flames from wrist to fingertips.

"What the hell is this!?"

The whole hand was rising smoke and flames as if it was holding a ball of fire.

"Did you absorb magic when you interacted with that girl?"

"Magic? What do you mean by that?"

Ida didn't know, but apparently, Hotaru had tried to attack Ida using magic just before she ended up being knocked out by him.

"We'd better get this over with once and for all," said Oigami as he watched Ida out of the corner of his eye.

"You're right," Mui replied without taking her eyes off Oigami for even a second.

They both proceeded to go on the offensive again. Oigami raised his sword and ran towards Mui. Whereas she, shook her gun sharply to the side, and unexpectedly the barrel of the gun elongated.

The two clashed colliding sword blade and gun barrel, which produced metal sparks that scattered. The gun that Mui held in his hand, had taken a strange shape as its barrel had elongated about sixty centimeters.

"Haa, interesting little toy you have." Oigami exclaimed.

And while laughing, he tried to wrap his arms around Mui to snatch the gun, but Mui quickly jumped back to get some distance. Mui's customized weapon, contained that feature to be able to block direct attacks at close range. However, it was still almost impossible for her to grapple against the huge blade of Oigami's sword using only one arm.

Therefore, Mui tried to utter another spell, but before she could even open her mouth, Oigami lunged at her to avoid it. The sword attack flying at high speed, was aimed at her side, but she blocked it again with the elongated barrel of her weapon. Her legs held firm during her block and she was not yet ready to react so quickly to a second move.

However, a second attack came from below. An attack she could not block with the elongated barrel of her gun. So she dodged as best she could the blade of Oigami's sword which managed to cut through her skirt. Immediately, it was followed by a flurry of rapid slashes that passed close to her head like silver flashes in a frenzy.

Mui quickly crouched down, shrunk as much as he could, balled up his small body and rolled to the right and then jumped like a spring away from there, avoiding any contact. However, he couldn't help but make a pained expression as, having thrown himself on the right side, he ended up hurting his arm, which was in bad shape. At that moment, both took a break and both Mui and Oigami, looked at each other with fury.

Takeshi was shocked watching the scene behind Mui's back.

"The bite on Mui's arm is getting worse," Takeshi thought.

He had noticed that a dark blue bruise-like coloration had spread from Mui's right arm, from the part where the bee had stung him, and extending to his chest up his neck becoming visible even on part of his head.

However, Mui had no time to complain about the pain. Oigami who did not wait any longer, lashed out with his sword again and Mui blocked again by wielding his elongated pistol with his left hand. However, since that was not her dominant hand, her strength was less so the pistol easily came loose and fell to the ground.

"Mui!" Takeshi exclaimed.

He knew that Oigami did not intend to kill her, but he would leave her seriously injured if he hit her with all his strength. However, just then another situation arose:

"T-Takeshi, what do I do?" Kurumi exclaimed while the reflection of large flames of fire was seen in her eyes.

"M-My hand... Impossible. How could this happen?"

Ida waved her hand trying to put out the fire, but the flames just spread everywhere. Kurumi thought it was strange, but still she had stood by Ida's side.

However, there came a time when she had to start to distance herself from him, because she couldn't stand the intense heat caused by those flames. Ida for her part clutched her hand tightly and began to rub her fist against the ground in an attempt to put out the fire.

Takeshi who had his full attention on the fight between Mui and Oigami, suddenly felt his hair stand on end. Something that seemed to be an imminent danger was approaching and he knew it somehow. Therefore, he forgot about the pain of his wounds and stood up. His pupils turned purple in that instant.

"Mui, take cover!!!!"

After having put Mui on overwatch, she immediately ran towards Kurumi who was standing about three meters away from Ida.

"Isoshimaaaaa!!!"

Takeshi threw himself on Kurumi.

"Gyaaaaaaa!!!"

and just at that moment, Ida raised a scream and there was an explosion that enveloped the whole place. Takeshi's ears were paralyzed and he couldn't hear anything due to the roar, but he could see that Kurumi was screaming.

"Kyaaaaaaaa...!!!"

"Isoshima!"

When the explosion occurred, the flames rising from Ida's hand had changed from orange, to a very bright yellow color that almost reached a white hue. Unable to open his eyes, Takeshi felt with his hand desperately searching for Kurumi.

The intuitive ability of his evasive magic had let him know that huge objects were about to fall. After a moment finally, his hand found Kurumi's arm so he pulled her to him and placed her under his body and then crouched down.

At that moment, the explosion caused the cracked ceiling of the hallway to collapse as if it had been split by lightning and immediately collapsed in a crashing manner. As debris of all sizes fell, Takeshi shielded Kurumi with his own body. Suddenly, a groan rose from the rubble.

"Huh huh..."

Takeshi stood up having been left inside a space left by large chunks of concrete, while coughing from the large amount of dust in the air. He could also hear Ida coughing just like him as she wondered about what had happened.

"Shit, how dusty it is here..." Murmured Oigami somewhere.

Takeshi heard him from the other side of the rubble. However, he was immediately horrified to hear him say something else:

"But well, now all that's left for me to do is to take this girl."

Takeshi stood up completely to make sure who Oigami was talking about. Kurumi was still underneath Takeshi and had remained completely still with her eyes tightly closed. However, when she felt Takeshi peel away from her a little, she opened them wide in complete terror.

"Isoshima, I want you to stay hidden in here..."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to meet that guy.

Both of them were talking in whispers because they were huddled so close to each other. When Takeshi made an attempt to get out of the hole in the rubble, Kurumi grabbed him by the sleeve.

"Takeshi..."

The anxiety and fear reflected in her eyes, combined with her trembling hand holding tightly to his shirt sent a clear message to Takeshi that said, "Don't go." However, Takeshi simply smiled at him. He then gently took Kurumi's hand and urged her to let go of him.

The place was still covered with dust everywhere. His eyes were dusty and he was tired, but, still, Takeshi walked silently towards Oigami's voice and after overcoming a few obstacles, he finally bumped into him. Oigami was holding Mui in his arms and although she looked limp and unconscious, she didn't seem to have suffered any serious injuries from the collapse.

"Let Mui go..."

Climbing over part of the collapsed roof, Takeshi jumped out in front of Oigami. The latter noticing Takeshi, smiled broadly and said:

"You're more stubborn than I thought you were, you bastard..."

Oigami examined Takeshi from head to toe and realized that Takeshi had not suffered any injuries from the fall either. Then Takeshi raised his hand with the wooden sword in a threatening manner and Oigami laughed saying:

"I see you haven't had enough?"

Takeshi had been lucky enough to find his wooden sword, as he walked out of the rubble and went in search of Oigami. Takeshi didn't answer anything and then Oigami added:

"Well, in that case, this will be the decisive battle?"

Oigami pulled out his sword from his belt again and dropped Mui to the ground. After that he laughed at Takeshi once again even though Takeshi was staring at him with hostility. A small stone tumbled down from what was left of the scaffolding slowly falling until it reached the rest of the rubble scattered on the ground, and when it did, the battle abruptly began.

Takeshi's wooden sword once again met Oigami's sword despite having been cut by it earlier. Immediately as they struggled, the two exchanged positions.

"Ha ha ha, I knew it, you are a more suitable opponent for me..." Oigami exclaimed by way of praise.

Meanwhile, he slowly took a step back and they separated their swords.

"You didn't even hold back with Mui did you?" Takeshi replied as he defended himself.

"It would be stupid to underestimate Aiba Mui..."

Takeshi was annoyed by that teasing attitude Oigami had. Meanwhile, they were clashing, separating and clashing their swords violently again.

Oigami looked Takeshi in the eyes. Those black eyes that were always full of kindness and mercy were now suffused with fury and fear. Something was wrong, however, because that was not the look Oigami wanted to see.

"Instead of looking after your fallen friends, you're looking to take Mui with you at any cost, aren't you?" Takeshi exclaimed.

Oigami blocked a side attack from Takeshi's wooden sword and replied:

"Friends? you mean that pair of useless. They're nothing but a nuisance."

After that, Oigami stepped back and lashed out with more force. However, Takeshi simply avoided him and calmly stepped back. Even so, his pupils were still black in color.

"What can I say...? We <Trailers> aren't known for being very friendly. However, the same goes for the <Wizard's Breath>. -Oigami said, laughing at his own words.

"Someone like you has no right to have partners." Takeshi replied.

Hearing that, Oigami spat out a laugh which he couldn't contain.

He thought it was so funny that he even took a moment to laugh openly and even leaned over to do so. Takeshi glared at him furiously at that. But after a moment, Oigami raised his face again, but it was no longer laughter that showed, but contempt.

"You neither..." Oigami said.

"Me?"

Takeshi stood expectantly at what Oigami had said, but before he did, Oigami slung his sword over his shoulder and began to walk to the front saying:

"Don't you realize?"

After that, Oigami raised his sword and attacked. Takeshi raised his wooden sword quickly and both artifacts clashed and stayed crossed as if they were stuck together as they both pushed each other.

"You and I are the same..." Oigami said, lowering his face as he pushed.

"What are you talking about?"

"That's right, you don't have any friends. I can see that. You don't let hardly anyone get close to you. And those who do, don't do it sincerely, do they?"

Laughing confidently as he spoke. Oigami watched Takeshi fixedly as if trying to discover something inside him. Puzzled, Takeshi tried to step back and pull his sword away from Oigami's, but was unable to do so.

"You're wrong..." Takeshi replied.

In the midst of confusion, Oigami's eyes turned to look past Takeshi and he said:

"I may be wrong. However, if you say that you are not the same as me, then now that you have become a wizard, surely you must have told someone, right? Someone capable of understanding what happened to you. Or was it not so? Obviously you didn't because you don't have anyone you trust enough to tell that to."

"..."

"Why didn't you tell your classmates? How about the Kendo club?"

Takeshi's hand with the wooden sword began to tremble a little.

"That's enough..." Takeshi said in a low, hesitant voice.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Oigami's eyes changed from those of a mocking type, to those of someone who judges coldly and was exercising such judgment on Takeshi.

"Stop it..." Takeshi muttered again unconsciously.

"What about your family? Didn't you tell them anything?"

"I just told you to stop..."

"Why didn't you tell your little brother?"

At that moment, Oigami stepped back as he saw that Takeshi was going into a fit of rage.

"Shut up!!!"

After having escaped the reach of Takeshi's sword, Oigami started laughing with delight.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaa!!!"

Takeshi's eyes slowly began to change from their black hue to a bright purple.

"I look like someone cold who doesn't care about anyone, right? However, you're the same way." Oigami said again.

Hearing Oigami's taunts, Takeshi twisted his mouth and shouted:

"Shut up!!!"

Takeshi didn't want to hear any more and succumbed to anger, which Oigami saw as a valuable opportunity.

"Ha, Idiot!" Oigami exclaimed.

And as he sneered, he raised his sword in an upward swing with which he struck the wooden sword in Takeshi's hand leaving an opening which Oigami took advantage of to throw a heavy blow with his sword aimed at Takeshi's temple. The blow left Takeshi seeing lights as his body bowed slightly.

"Damn...!"

Takeshi tried to stay conscious as much as he could, but in the end he wasn't able to.

"Oh, no. Mui ha..."

Takeshi ended up slowly closing his eyes as he collapsed on the ground. At that precise moment, Mui was just beginning to regain consciousness and managed to faintly see Takeshi falling.

"Takeshi... kun...?

She managed as best she could to fully wake up and see that what she had just seen was not a hallucination.

"Takeshi-kun!!! she shouted.

A large amount of blood began to descend from the area of Takeshi's left ear staining the floor where he was lying red.

"Oh shoot! I think I ended up killing him in the end..." Oigami commented as he raised his sword and stared at its edge.

His intention was to just give him a flat blow with the blade, but the angle wasn't right.

"Takeshi-kuuuuun!!!" Mui shouted once again.

She still couldn't move her legs so she just called out Takeshi repeatedly.

"Keep quiet, Aiba Mui!"

"Takeshi-kun, please get up!!!" Mui shouted again.

Then Oigami turned around leaving Takeshi lying down, and started walking towards Mui.

"He won't get up anymore. I just smashed his head in. Ha ha... It would be scary if he got up in that condition." Oigami commented as he shrugged his shoulders.

It turns out that when Takeshi fell to the ground, he wasn't moving a bit anymore.

"You're lying...!!!" Mui exclaimed.

"You say I'm lying? Didn't you just see it with your own eyes?"

Oigami stood right in front of her, smiled and bowed saying:

"You look like a scared rabbit."

He then grabbed Mui by her clothes, forcing her to stand up.

"Kyaaa!"

"Wow, such a small girl is a user of Acceleration Magic. It seems that God is usually very cruel too."

"Let me go!"

In her hand, she was holding the pistol she had dropped earlier. He was holding it because when that happened, he quickly picked it up. Its long barrel had retracted and returned to its original shape. Therefore, Mui pointed it at Oigami.

"The gun again? Well, you can't use your right arm anymore, so I have no choice..."

Oigami sheathed his sword back into his belt and grabbed Mui's left arm.

"I'm going to have to break it..."

In the next moment, Mui's screams flooded the place. Her voice was heard by Kurumi and Ida, even though they were far away and couldn't see anything because of the debris. both were completely shocked to hear her scream.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!"

The pain of her arm being broken was unbearable and Mui was crying heartbreakingly.

"Hey, don't cry. I'm sorry to do this, but don't worry. I'll heal it later."

Oigami finally let go of Mui's left arm, but it hung limp and limp. He had already broken her bones and although she no longer wanted to cry, tears still overflowed from her eyes involuntarily. Oigami glared at Mui while behind her back, Takeshi who was lying on the ground, began to flick his eyelids slightly.

"M....u..... i.....?"

He could hear deep in his consciousness the piercing screams of a person whom he immediately identified. However, it was unlikely that he would be able to get up.

"Uuuugh..."

In addition to already having her right arm progressively rotting away, her left arm was now broken so Mui was completely helpless. The pain was terrible, but she was overcome with frustration at not being able to do anything else.

"I told him I was going to protect him and I couldn't do it."

"I involved Takeshi-kun in this and now he's in that state."

"I really am completely useless."

Mui had already lost her brother Tsuganashi to the Trailers and to think that they could take Takeshi too, devastated her soul.

"Breaking your bones a couple of times helps make you tougher. So don't worry about that." Oigami said with a smile, seeing Mui with a pale face.

Even in the midst of her despair, Mui raised her tearful face to confront Oigami. However, what was reflected in her gaze was something different than expected.

"Huh...?"

Involuntarily her tears stopped and all the mixed emotions Mui had-including anger-simply flew away.

"What? What's wrong with you?" Oigami asked when he saw the strange expression that had emerged on her face.

"Don't you dare touch Mui..."

Oigami quickly turned around to see who was talking to him and tried to unsheathe his sword, but he didn't have time to do so.

"Kuuuu....!"

As a result, he was hit hard in the stomach with the wooden sword, knocking him back several steps. Mui looked at Takeshi with an expression of utter astonishment.

"Takeshi-kun...? Your eyes..."

She had seen Takeshi's eyes turn purple before. However, this time it was different as inside the pupils, magic circles were displayed. Said circles, could be seen so clearly that each of the patterns of which they were composed could be appreciated in detail

"Those are circles of evasive magic," said Mui to herself.

While it is true, any wizard was perfectly capable of summoning such magic circles. However, these only appeared at the moment when they were going to use magic that belonged to their systematci magic category, and after that, the particles that formed them, dispersed quickly. They never lingered for long.

Mui had no idea when Takeshi's magic manifested, but what she was sure of was that she had never seen Evasive Magic manifest so clearly and cleanly before. Not even her older brother Tsuganashi, whose magic circle stayed around his hand for several seconds when using his ice magic, could hold it for so long. The magic circles did not disappear from Takeshi's eyes nor did they dim, even if he blinked.

"Can he really use Evasive Magic for that long?"

"How is that possible?"

Of course there was magic capable of staying in use for a long time as was the case with Illusory Magic category. However, it was the same case as the other systematic magic as even if the effect of illusiory magic was maintained, the magic circle only appeared when the magic was summoned at first and then disappeared.

"There is supposed to be a limit of magic particles for a person's use..."

If magic is used for too long, it runs out and cannot be used until it regains strength again.

"Will he be keeping his magic pores open without realizing that?"

For such a reason, if she didn't stop as soon as possible, she would fall to the ground just like Ushiwaka even if it wasn't because of "Gift".

"Take it easy, I'll be done very soon." Said Takeshi smiling and looking at Mui with his eyes lit in purple color, after having pulled Oigami away from her.

"Will you finish soon?" Mui asked with her gaze completely lost in Takeshi's eyes.

"Ha ha ha ha. You say you'll be done soon? Don't come out with bullshit, you bastard." Oigami exclaimed, drawing his sword while holding his stomach.

Takeshi didn't even turn to look at him.

Oigami gritted his teeth and tried to attack with his sword through a blind spot. However:

"What?"

Takeshi didn't even bother to look back, and it only took a small movement of his arm to knock the sword out of his hands. Slowly Takeshi turned his gaze towards Oigami and unlike the kind look he was giving Mui, this time his gaze looked cold.

"You'd better give up. If you don't do better than this, you won't stand a chance."

Oigami was surprised to hear how calm and carefree Takeshi's voice sounded.

"Aah?! I have no idea what you're talking about?"

Enraged, Oigami picked up his sword.

"If I'm honest, I don't know what I'm talking about either." Takeshi replied.

As he spoke, Takeshi began to walk slowly. He received a second attack and then a third one, but he dodged them easily and without any effort.

"It's useless, your attacks can't hit me." Takeshi declared.

Oigami continued to attack relentlessly, but Takeshi continued to dodge easily.

Meanwhile, Mui was trying to pick up his gun that was lying on the ground. However, when she barely managed to lift it, she dropped it due to the intense pain in her left arm.

"Tsk...."

The pain was causing his tears to come out and blur his vision. But, still, he picked up the weapon again and finally lifted it.

"uh...! <FLOAT!>"

Uttering the spell under her breath, she applied levitation magic to make her gun weightless so she could wield it. Oigami was completely overwhelmed by Takeshi, so he didn't notice the movements she was making.

"<LIBERATE!>" Mui exclaimed.

An intermediate level wizard was the minimum requirement to be able to use spells pertaining to systematic magic. The reason for that was the extraordinary amount of magical power required. However, despite being aware of that immense drain of energy, Mui was convinced that it was necessary to do so.

"Takeshi-kun...don't go on anymore...at this rate your magic will be completely exhausted."

Pale yellow magic particles, began to sprout from Mui's malfunctioning arms, to the palm of his hands and then transferred to the gun which began to emit a golden glow from within. Upon being released by the aforementioned spell, the gun lengthened the length of its barrel to more than twice the length of what a police baton would be, thus changing its shape to prepare for a very powerful shot. As best she could, she readied her broken left arm so that she could pull the trigger while holding the barrel with her rotting right arm.

"Awaken and serve me, god of lightning. Make my soul glow."

The <Float> magic Mui had used earlier began to transfer to her through her gun and her body slowly levitated.

"Fill me with your energy. Resonate and pierce!"

The particles that began to accumulate in the muzzle of the cannon began to increase in brightness and then Takeshi and Oigami finally realized what Mui was doing.

"Mui!?"

Takeshi was impressed to see Mui holding that weapon never seen by him before, while Oigami scoffed saying:

"What an idiot you are, don't you remember that no magic can hit me?"

The matter was complicated, because even if he managed to hit the target, Mui would end up losing his magic as a result. It was normal for Oigami to think she was foolish. However, Takeshi's evasive magic was still active for some reason.

"Melt it all! <MELT PROYECTION!!!>"

The moment she finished chantting her spell, a huge magic circle appeared right at the muzzle of the cannon, followed by light beam exploding and shooting out expelling high concentrated heat. Takeshi ducked his face and took a big leap backwards. Oigami on the other hand, had full confidence of his evasive magic ability so he did not move from his place. The two were separated by the lightning, which filled the whole place with a golden light that could be perceived even with closed eyes. At the same time, the ground shook as if an explosion had occurred. As expected Mui's thermoelectric discharge was not able to break through Oigami's barrier. However...

"Aah?"

Because Oigami's barrier was an ability that repell all magic fired at it, Mui's shot bounced off it and then started bouncing in various places until it finally hit the ground penetrating it and melting it due to its high heat. The ground sank causing Oigami's foothold to disappear and he lost his balance. As he fell, he could see the silhouette of who appeared to be Takeshi standing in front of him and that great glow. There was no doubt that it was all because of his magical power. Takeshi had dodged all of Mui's magic that had bounced off his own body.

"Impossible..."

Takeshi instinctively knew the trajectory the lightning took as it bounced off, thanks to his Evasive Magic.

"Damn....!!!"

Oigami then stabbed his sword into the ground to avoid falling into the hole and when he raised his face, he pulled the sword out to try to swing it against Takeshi. However, the latter was no longer there. and could not see around to look for him due to the great glow.

"What...?"

Oigami was completely shocked and speechless. Takeshi was right in front of his eyes and then he was no longer there, but standing beside him with his eyes closed.

"Didn't I tell you already?" Takeshi commented.

Because of the intense light, Oigami was not able to see the movements of Takeshi's wooden sword.

"You lost."

Oigami received a strong blow without knowing where it came from, which fractured his knees making him to fall.

"Ga...!"

With an expression of pain and surprise, Oigami Takao fell to the ground. His sword came loose from his hand, but he didn't notice.

After he landed that heavy blow, Takeshi didn't move from his place until the beam of light shot by Mui faded away.

"Takeshi-kun..."

Mui let go of his gun and the levitation magic stopped and he approached with his damaged arms placed in front of his chest. Moments later, something happened to Takeshi. The magic circles in his eyes finally disappeared and the purple light in them slowly faded. In the end, Takeshi collapsed to the ground like a rag doll lying next to Oigami.

"Takeshi-kun!"

Mui's worried voice was not able to reach him and his consciousness faded away due to the severe wound on his head which was bleeding staining his face red.

Part 5

"W-where am I...?" Takeshi muttered, after opening his eyes and seeing a strange white ceiling.

Instantly, two faces approached his field of vision.

"You've finally woken up."

"You're a fool!"

It was Mui and Kurumi who had been watching Takeshi while he slept. Mui had a worried expression while Kurumi looked annoyed.

"Calling me a fool just after waking up, don't you think it's a bit rude Isoshima?"

Takeshi found it strange that he didn't feel pain in his head or any other part of his body after waking up.

"Nothing like that! You're a real fool! Just look at the state of you...!"

After seeing Kurumi standing on the side of the bed, annoyed and with her hands on her hips, Takeshi shrugged his shoulders and turned to the other side of the bed where Mui was standing to talk to her.

"Mui, I..."

However, he very simply smiled and said:

"Kurumi and I, we were very worried about you, Takeshi-kun."

However, when Kurumi heard that, she frowned and complained:

"Hey, who gave you permission to use my name?"

"I can't?"

"Not without my permission."

Kurumi seemed to be angry that Mui called her by name, and as they talked to each other, Takeshi looked at them alternately and then ducked his head. Incidentally, it was the first time the two had spoken to each other. They had seen each other before, but when that happened, Kurumi was very angry so this was the first time the two had held a dialogue. Although Kurumi was actually scolding Mui for calling her name and Mui, for some strange reason, was nodding to everything Kurumi said.

"Yes, you're right, I shouldn't have called you by your name, I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't make that face either, don't make me look like I'm the villainess."

While listening to them, Takeshi laughed.

"What are you laughing about?" Kurumi asked, looking at Takeshi aggressively.

Takeshi couldn't stop laughing and answered:

"nothing, it's just that, I think Mui and you, could get along quite well."

"Of course not!"

Kurumi flatly refused at that idea, but Mui, on the contrary, showed a smile.

"Huh? Friends? Kurumi and I?"

Possibly the personalities of each were different.

"This is the first time I've seen someone, coping very well with Isoshima's attitude."

"I'm sure these two will be able to get along perfectly."

Takeshi was still smiling as Kurumi and Mui standing on either side of the bed, continued their discussion.

"Hey, you did it again?" Kurumi said.

"Did what?" Mui asked.

"You called me by my name again!

"It's just that it's so complicated to call you 'Isoshima-san'. I feel like I'm going to bite my tongue if I say it."

Mui slightly stuck out her tongue after saying that sentence. Certainly pronouncing the surname Isoshima was a bit difficult. And meanwhile, Takeshi was trying to laugh behind Kurumi's back but...

"Takeshi, stop laughing right now!"

Kurumi was being very angry, while Mui was more bearable so she seemed to be having fun.

"I'm not going to get along with you, so don't treat me in such a familiar way."

Kurumi turned away from looking Mui in the face and Mui's smile turned into a bitter laugh. Amidst the awkward silence that followed, Takeshi noticed that Mui's left arm was bandaged and swollen.

"Mui, how are your arms?"

Remembering then, that Mui had been severely injured during the battle, he turned his gaze to Mui's right arm and neck.

"Don't worry. After what happened, I quickly contacted <Wizard's Breath>. They brought us to the infirmary of this academy and already treated our wounds."

Mui's right arm no longer had that strange dark blue color. Nor did her neck have that infection.

"They treated us? I see... But did they use magic to do that?"

"Yes," Mui replied, nodding happily.

However, a voice from the center of the room broke in:

"Even if so, magic only speeds up the healing process, the pain will still be present. Only real fools get into absurd fights." A young woman said.

The person speaking as he approached was a woman in her mid-twenties, wearing red-rimmed glasses. She wore a white gown so it was intuited that she was the academy's nurse. Her breasts were so large that were not able to stay inside the gown.

"Hyoudou-sensei..." Mui muttered.

For some reason, behind the nurse, Ida was smiling.

"Ida?"

"Well, I'm surprised it's all over." Ida commented.

Takeshi smiled when he saw that Ida was still the same as always.

The nurse, Hyoudou Nanami who was also working as the Biological Magic teacher, looked at Takeshi and Mui and then shook her head saying:

"Holy cow... you guys just came to give me more work than necessary."

She with all the sincerity of the mute, showed her displeasure and discontent. So when she approached the bed, she pulled off Takeshi's sheet and added:

"If you're feeling better now, then go on, go on! Momo-tan wants to talk to you. Hurry up! Get out of here, you little wizards!"

If they had stayed any longer, the nurse might have kicked them out. Mui and Kurumi were the first to run out of the infirmary after being spanked by the nurse. As for Ida, she had no choice but to wander down the corridor.

"M-Momo-tan?" Takeshi asked while still lying on the bed.

Hearing that name, Nanami's eyes began to sparkle with excitement.

"Yes, Momo-tan! The supreme existence that can only be the work of God's wisdom."

"Ah?"

"There is no girl in the world who is as cute, as strong and yet as gloomy as her."

"E-ehm..."

Puzzled, Takeshi noticed Mui, Kurumi and even Ida, looking at him from the door of the infirmary and signaling him to get out of there.

"Well, thank you very much for your treatment. I think I'm feeling better now too."

For some reason, Takeshi left Nanami with his hands in the air after she was going to check his head, and left in a hurry. When he finally came out of the infirmary, Mui explained to them:

"She was referring to the headmistress"

According to Mui, the person Nanami praised and exalted so much was none other than the headmistress of the academy.

"She used to call her 'Momo-tan'" Mui added.

Undoubtedly, the name "Momo-tan" suited the headmistress's appearance quite well. Then Takeshi touched his head with some trepidation and asked her:

"Hey... What happened to those guys?"

Since he had been bleeding a lot, the wound on his head had to be very serious, but he didn't feel any pain despite touching himself. And as he continued to rub his hair, Mui answered:

"Oigami Takao and the other two, are in <Wizard's Breath>'s custody."

it was obvious, because when there is a war, it is normal to be captured by the enemy, or, on the contrary, to take enemies as prisoners.

"What are you going to do with them?" Takeshi asked.

However, Mui evaded the question and talked about something else:

"We'd better go see the headmistress. She is waiting for us."

After having said that, the four of them left the infirmary behind, and headed for the principal's office.

Part 6

When Takeshi fainted, Mui contacted the Wizard Breath mages who arrived on the scene to clean up, open the portal in the mirror and take the four of them to the academy. Takeshi never heard from Ida again after the roof collapsed, but in Ida's own words, when the explosion happened, he was unharmed because the flames from his hand spread out and destroyed the pieces of concrete that were going to fall on him.

It was quite an eye-catching thing to do, wasn't it?

Entering the director's office, Principal Shijou said, "I'm sorry.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Mui said hurriedly while ducking her head.

Takeshi and Kurumi stood while Ida looked around curiously.

"The scandal at Sakuraya Academy is over now and the repairs are also finished. So don't worry."

Takeshi was impressed by what the headmistress had just said and asked:

"Did they do it with magic?"

"That's right. However, I must say that it's been a long time since the last time there were three students transferred from the same academy."

The headmistress left her desk that was next to the window and approached the three stopping right in front of Ida.

"Ida Kazumi-kun..."

"Hey, are you really the headmistress? But you're just a little girl."

The headmistress simply ignored what Ida had just said.

"Unlike those two, it's more complicated keeping control of your magic. I know it's a hassle, but I'm offering you the option of taking that magic away. Make up your mind right now."

Suddenly, Takeshi asked before Ida:

"Will you use <Gift> on him?"

"That's right. I see you've already been told about it."

Takeshi had witnessed what the spell called <Gift> did to wizards when it took away their magic, and he didn't like the idea of Ida being subjected to it at all. The headmistress's words, however, implied that Ida's magic was very dangerous.

"I don't understand anything, but is it true that Nanase and Isoshima are wizards?"

"That's right, and now you are too."

Ida scratched his nose when heard that. He was able to do so because those terrible flames were no longer emanating from his hand. Mui had talked to Ida about wizards before going into the mirror with the others. Of course he was suspicious at first, but when he saw that there was a world beyond the mirror, his doubts turned completely into curiosity and he was impressed to see the facilities of the Magic Academy.

"So, if I say yes, will I go back to being an ordinary person, forget everything that happened and continue with my normal life?"

When Ida summed it all up in the worst possible way, the headmistress smiled wryly.

"Well, yes, more or less. Destructive Magic is a difficult systematic magic. Needless to say, it is a magic that hurts others and is not good for those who cannot make decisions quickly."

"I don't like hurting other people," Ida muttered.

Then she raised his face and looked directly at the headmistress.

"But I can't just walk away after getting involved. This is all my responsibility from the moment I decided to help them with their pursuers. So, whatever happens, I choose to be a wizard. Even if it's hard, I'll do my best."

"Well, in that case, you will live as a wizard user of destructive fire magic."

Ida nodded at the headmistress's confirmation and said:

"All right, after all, we humans, we are able to overcome anything if we start from the beginning."

"Nanase Takeshi-kun. The same goes for you."

The next one to talk to the headmistress was Takeshi.

"Me?"

"However, within that branch, very few have the 'Intuition' skill. I'm sure <the Trailers> will wait until you learn to control it and other communities will also be interested. If you succeed, it will be a very useful skill in combat."

It was clear that the only thing Takeshi aspired to was Kendo and he himself made it clear from the beginning.

"I have no intention of fighting in a way that has nothing to do with the sport."

Certainly he had already faced Oigami in a "non-sporting" way, but Takeshi firmly believed that it was only for reasons of force majeure. The headmistress nodded without question. After all, there was no reason for him to have to fight <the Trailers>. Then Takeshi turned to look at Mui who was standing by the door silently. He knew that she was just fighting <the Trailers>, so that she could rescue her brother. However, she kept her eyes down, as she seemed to be uninterested in the headmistress's conversation with Takeshi and his friends.

"Okay, you three will stay in the academy dormitories from now on. Going back to the living world is dangerous so you won't be able to come here from your homes."

The headmistress went to her desk and took some books that said on their cover 'Subaru Magic Academy Admission Handbook' and handed one to each of them. But suddenly, Ida stood up and shouted:

"Wait a second!"

"What's wrong Ida-kun?"

Ida held out his palm to the perplexed look of the headmistress.

"I can't do this. I have to take care of Futaba."

"Futaba-san?"

"She's my little sister. My mother is a nurse and works nights most of the time. She can't take her to school."

"What about your father?" Kurumi asked.

Ida answered bluntly:

"My dad died six years ago."

The headmistress tilted her head doubtfully, but then nodded.

"I understand. Well, in that case, I'll do something special for you. From here, I'm going to place a magical barrier around your house. That will serve as protection and no wizard will be able to penetrate it. Not even <the Trailers>. However, the barrier will have no effect on ordinary humans.

"Thank you very much!" Ida exclaimed.

When the problem of Ida's house was solved, Takeshi thought about his own and asked:

"Did you tell our parents about the transfer?"

"Don't worry about that. We've already planned all that. Transferring here, it will be like transferring to any boarding school in the living World. Your family won't suspect anything... I think so."

Strangely, there was a pause at that last thing said by the headmistress, but Mui was the only one to notice. Kurumi, for her part, let out a small sigh and spoke with full conviction:

"I don't care where I go, as long as I can be with Takeshi."

Takeshi looked at Kurumi who was waiting for his approval, and he couldn't help but have mixed feelings, as he knew that she was aware that it was much better for he to stay in the dormitories, than to be in his own house. Anyway, it didn't matter if he was present, for he was completely ignored. And yet, he kept trying to make conversation with Gekkou.

"I'm sure he can still forgive me," Takeshi thought.

However, it was about time to give up the fight, because the progress had been nil.

The headmistress waited for Takeshi's answer. Then, he finally raised his face, looked at her and said:

"I'll stay too."

"Perfect, then that's it. Now, regarding your classroom, you will be in the first year of high school. As you are still beginner wizards, you will start from the basic level. Therefore, you will be in the C class of the first year. All the wizards in that class are beginners like you."

"What about Mui?" Takeshi asked, curious about the class she was enrolled in.

At that moment the headmistress clasped her hands together with a clap and said:

"That's right! Aiba-kun... You told me you wanted a punishment right?"

"That's right, headmistress." Mui replied, approaching from the office door.

She had a worried expression because of the punishment she was about to receive. Anxiety was killing her.

"You'll be sent to class C, too."

"Huh?"

"You are an intermediate level wizard and were in a special group within the S class. However, as of tomorrow you will be in the C class with them."

"Wait, you can't do that, I..."

"The matter of Aiba Tsuganashi is beyond your capabilities. <Wizard's Breath> will take care of rescuing him. I've told you that before."

"..."

"I know that you are also a wizard who belongs to <Wizard's Breath>. However, you are also a student of this institution and as the headmistress, it is my duty to reprimand you for your reckless behavior."

The headmistress had stopped smiling. It was the first time Takeshi had seen the headmistress get serious and when she did, she looked like a real adult.

On the other hand, Mui seemed to be annoyed and looking out of the corner of her eye towards nothing, she muttered:

"B-but... I wasn't to blame for the other two...."

"That doesn't matter. You asked me for a punishment and I'm giving it to you. For that reason, you will also have to take responsibility for the other two of them and accept the punishment as an act of comradeship."

"But I..."

Mui, raised her face and then the headmistress showed her a small smile and said to her:

"You harmed yourself. So let's not give the matter any more thought."

"..."

"Now go, Aiba-kun. show them where the dormitories are."

All Mui could do about it, as the headmistress returned to her desk by the window, was to accept it.

"Yes ma'am"

From that day on, Takeshi and company became students of the Subaru School of Magic.

Epilogue

A sky full of stars shone above their heads in such a way that even the Milky Way, which was normally not possible to see from the real Tokyo, was perfectly visible from that place. There, Aiba Tsuganashi sheathed his saber in his belt, and as he lowered his white-gloved hands, he looked coldly at a man slumped on the ground. That already crestfallen man was immediately forced by some kind of magical power to raise his face, and although he was in utter distress, he showed no signs of giving in to adversity. However, he couldn't help but show a pained expression when he suddenly had to draw some blood that rushed out of his mouth as if he had burst something inside him.

Tsuganashi illuminated the face of that man who was pale, with the help of some spheres of light that floated around him. Standing on a platform, Tsuganashi turned to look at another man dressed in a long trench coat, who was sitting on some bleachers in the distance. This man, whose name was Washizu Kippei, and as if he had received some kind of indication, he stood up immediately. He began to walk towards them as the man was tormented on the open-air stage inside Shakuji Park. Then he pointed to the sky cheerfully and said:

"Watch..."

standing still, Washizu looked up at the night sky.

"In this world where ordinary humans have disappeared, things that were already beautiful are even more beautiful and have regained their original value. Don't you think it is a sin to prevent this from happening?"

Tsuganashi remained silent. However, that dying man answered:

"The world that you <Trailers> want to forge, is founded on the massacre of many innocents. Tell me what is beautiful about that?"

That man speaks as if he were spitting.

"Difference of opinion..." Washizu replied, while adjusting the hem of his trench coat and pushing his glasses up his nose with his middle finger.

At first glance, he looked like a simple salaried man in his early thirties. However his eyes seen through the glass of his glasses, glowed with a deep crimson color. Washizu stepped onto the stage and stood next to Tsuganashi as he looked at the prostrate man. This man was completely covered with ice up to his neck and the only thing he had free was his head.

"Artificial and unnatural things must be eliminated by nature. However, sometimes there are things that nature cannot turn back. Like Plastics, Harmful Substances, Nuclear Materials and above all, Ordinary Humans... Yes, above all them... they reproduce like cockroaches and that is why they have become difficult to exterminate."

After having said that, Washizu put his hands in his coat pockets and without stopping smiling, he added:

"Just as this world that was destroyed by Ryuusenji Kazuma did, the living world also has the right to be beautifully reborn don't you think?"

The prostrate man, distorted his face at Washizu's attitude and replied:

"You are a disgrace to wizards. You are not capable of coexisting with ordinary humans, because you only look after your own welfare. You only base everything on your own self-centeredness."

"And, you say that you people of <Wizard's Breath>, renounce your interests and choose to run away and hide, to live in the shadows just for the welfare of ordinary humans? Haaa... that's ridiculous. If you really think that's the way things are, it's because you're stupid or because you're a blind man who doesn't want to see reality."

At that moment, Washizu, without taking his hands out of his pockets, made the man's body rise up just by looking at him. The man's eyes became wet and filled with tears.

"AAAAAAAaaaaaaaa!!!"

"Since your eyes can't see anything, I think you will no longer need them."

"Aaah... aaah.... aaaaaaaah...!"

The man's eyes began to melt into a white liquid that trickled down his cheeks as he screamed in agony. He struggled to move but most of his body was still immobilized and covered with the ice generated by Tsuganashi's magic.

"This is horrible. Those who are on the side of ordinary humans are not worthy to inherit this world."

Washizu having stopped laughing, looked at the man with contempt.

"Kill him..."

Tsuganashi nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"No, Stop... no.... don't do it.... aaaa...!!!"

Tsuganashi had no need to use his sword for the job. The man began to beg for mercy, but Tsuganashi was not moved in the least. His memories had been altered to make him a perfect ally of the <Ghost Trailers> and therefore, to him, all <Wizard's Breath> wizards were now enemies to be annihilated. Suddenly, light blue particles began to flutter over the surface of his white gloves.

"No, pleaaaaaaaaase....!!!"

The ice that reached up to the man's neck, began to advance to completely cover his body up to his head while making a noise as if he were a living being. The ice covered his mouth and filled his eye sockets leaving a pair of black dimples and the man in complete silence. The ice would probably not melt until the next morning and doing it had been effortless for Tsuganashi.

When Tsuganashi came down from the stage to meet Washizu who had come down earlier, he found him sitting on one of the wooden benches, contemplating the starry sky.

"Kippei-san, I'm done." Tsuganashi said.

But hearing his voice, Washizu simply patted the surface of the bench, urging him to sit next to him. Tsuganashi agreed without further ado, and after sitting down beside him, he also set about observing the variety of stars displayed throughout the length and breadth of the firmament. The milky way that could be seen from there, could no longer be seen from the night sky that was in the original world. It dissolved the accompanying spheres of light and all the surroundings were filled with the pure light emanating from the stars and all that horrible panorama ended up sinking into the darkness of the night.

Washizu was deep in thought. Whether he was meditating on the information obtained from some <Wizard's Breath>'s wizars or just thinking about the future, it was something totally alien and unknown to Tsuganashi. It was impossible for anyone to know what was going on in Washizu's mind. He was a guy who did not beat around the bush and would kill anyone, simply because he was bored.

"How boring..." Washizu Kippei muttered.

Even knowing that <Wizard's Breath> had captured three wizars in his charge, that was all he had to say. Tsuganashi, at that moment, began to reminisce about that girl he ran into at the subway station under the same night sky.

He had been told that this girl, who for some reason called him "Nii-san", was an intermediate level wizard, belonging to <Wizard's Breath>. Tsuganashi made up his mind at that moment, that the next time they met, he would freeze her like a statue just as he had just done with the man from a moment ago. According to him, in contrast to the image of that bloody man, she would be a beautiful piece of art. As he imagined in his head that this moment would come, a merciless smile was drawn on Tsuganashi's face.

Afterword

Nice to meet you if you are reading me for the first time, and hello again to those who already knew me before. It is a great honor for me to know that you have this book in your hands. As this is a new story, it is just a prelude, but I hope to do my best and I would be very happy if you join me in this journey. First of all, I clarify the fact that since there are many people who usually read this appendix, there will be no need to worry about spoilers because I won't give them. Instead, I will deal with the topic of the making of the main story of Mahou Sensou.

It just so happens that wizardss have always seemed cool to me. Therefore, it makes me very happy to be able to write a story about them. In the next volume, it will touch on the theme of school life, but I want to do it in the best possible way, adding that magical touch. I want to focus on Takeshi, Kurumi and maybe a little bit on Ida, regarding his control over magic... well, I mean, this time I tried to make the characters' names easier to read (referring to the kanji). You may not have noticed, but there is a pattern between the kanji of those who belong to each community. For Wizard's Breath, I have placed numeric characters and for Ghost Trailers, they will have animal characters. That way you will understand beforehand, just by reading the name, which community some characters belongs to. Later on, there will be other communities that will also appear. It will be complicated for me to do all that, but it doesn't matter.

Now, what follows is the type of relationship between Takeshi, Kurumi and Mui. The relationship between them is very complicated except for Kurumi whose position is much clearer than the other two. The only thing I can say now, is that both Kurumi and Mui, are the main waifus so we can see them both as a kind of "Double main waifu". As an author, I think writing about Kurumi is very simple, but because she is unpredictable, it can't be said that she is someone ordinary. Currently, Takeshi usually makes Kurumi nervous, but what will come next, whatever it is I'm going to write about it. Currently the four of them including Ida, they are just a newbie wizards, but I hope you can see later on, what kind of wizards they will become.

Since there are so many wizard characters in the world, I'm sure more than one will have a wizard or magical girl they consider their favorite, so I want to do my best to write about one that they can add to that list as well.

Now, what follows are acknowledgments:

Thanks to "K-san" who is in charge, who committed the feat of coming to Osaka in the middle of snowfall, and I missed the phone calls and emails. I have caused him several inconveniences so I apologize. Well, the worst inconvenience of all was that I made the deadline without turning anything in. It so happens that when I'm alone, I tend to slack off so you'll have to check on me from time to time to make me take it more seriously. I'll be making trouble later on (I'll let you know!).

Thanks to Lunalia-sama who made those illustrations. Thank you for such wonderful drawings despite your busy schedule. Everyone, characters, boys and girls are just as I imagined them. I would like to scream, but, I am so embarrassed that I feel like my head is going to explode. They're cute, they're great, and they're all great. Besides, I'm not the only one who thinks Mui and Kurumi's skirt length is perfect. I thank you deeply for giving me the idea for the gun. It will be a real pleasure to work with you from now on.

Thanks to all those people who made this first volume possible, thank you all for your concern and support. I really thank you very much.

And finally to my readers. Thank you for giving me the pleasure of sharing this same world with you.

Sincerely yours: Suzuki Hisashi. The robot with one nut missing.

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