After csses ended, Yuuji, Aika, Tatsuya, and Miyuki met up ao the student cil office together once again to meet with Mayumi, Mari, and the rest of the student cil to discuss what their jobs would entail as a member of the student cil and the disciplinary ittee.

  They won’t be starting their activities today, si is already close to sun down, but just to introduce themselves to their rooms and chat a bit with their respective leaders.

  As they annouheir arrival, they were let in by Mayumi’s voice. Upoering, they were weled by Mayumi and Mari while Suzune and Azusa turned and heir heads towards them.

  However, there was one more person who Yuuji, Aika, and Tatsuya had already expected, but not Miyuki.

  Standing before the window, looking out into the massive courtyard of their school, was the student cil vice president, Hattyobu.

  He turned and approached the group with a polite smile.

  “Wele. Five me for not being able to join you this m. I had other pressing matters to attend to.”

  “Thank you very much for weling us, Hattori-senpai. It is very kind of you to stay this te in order to greet us new members of the student cil and the disciplinary ittee.”

  Yuuji responded with an equally polite smile, though much more charming. However, just like Gyobu, his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  Just like before, simply being near Yuuji caused Gyobu to feel this invisible pressure in his heart, making breathing slightly difficult as he found himself not breathing for a moment and taking rge amounts of air at ohe moment.

  “Of course. It is simply my duty as the vice president.”

  His gaze met with Yuuji, Aika, and Miyuki, but not Tatsuya, before he turned around auro Mayumi’s side.

  Needless to say, with their keen sehe four of them noticed it.

  “Let’s get started then~ A-, if you’d please.”

  “Y-Yes.”

  Miyuki stepped forward and approached Azusa and Suzune who were sitting on the puter desks at the side of the room.

  Oher hand, Mari also turowards Yuuji, Aika, and Tatsuya with a smile and her hands on her hips.

  “Okay, then why don’t we go as well?”

  “Hm? Where to, Watanabe-senpai?”

  “To the Disciplinary ittee headquarters. It’d be easier to learn from watg first hand after all.”

  “Watanabe-senpai, please wait a moment.”

  “What is it, Vice President Hattyobushoujo Hanzou-kun?”

  “P-Please don’t call me by my full name!”

  Gyobu blushed and approached Mari in a fluster..

  “Then, Vice President Hattori Hanzou?”

  “It’s Hattyobu!”

  “That’s not your name, but a gover post of your family, right?”

  “We no longer hold that office! At this school, I am registered as Hattyobu- Not, that’s beside the point!”

  “Then what is it?”

  Gyobu gowards Tatsuya with disapproval in his eyes. Though surprisingly enough, Yuuji did not see disdain, just simple disapproval.

  “I am opposed to that first year being appoio the Disciplinary ittee. No weed has ever been appoio the Disciplinary ittee before.”

  “It’s forbidden to refer to the Course 2 Students as weeds… You have some tering that term in front of me.”

  Mari’s eyes narrowed sharply upon hearing that distasteful and degrading term ing out of his mouth.

  “Glossing over it won’t do any good. The disciplinary ittee’s job is to maintain discipline a them when viotion happens using practical skills. A weed wouldn’t be able to aplish it.”

  “It is true that the Disciplinary ittee is meritocracy-based, but there’s more than one kind of practical skills.”

  Mari then poiowards Tatsuya.

  “Tatsuya has the eyesight and brains to read activation sequences directly and accurately predict which spell is about to be activated.”

  “Impossible! Even an Essential Singurity-Type activation sequence is loaded with data as much as 30,000 letters of the alphabet! There’s no way that he could read that in an instant!”

  “on seells us that is impossible. That’s why his skills are so valuable. He’s sure to bee a powerful deterrent towards all those would-be viotors who keep getting off easy because we ever establish their crimes. Am I right, Yuuji-kun?”

  Yuuji smiled softly as he stared right into Gyobu’s eyes. However, Yuuji did any pressure on him this time. He realized that Gyobu was simply pg his judgment and decision to oppose Tatsuya iering the Disciplinary ittee based on his knowledge of the average magical ability, skills, and talent of a course 2 student.

  Though, the fact that he still acted in such a manner and discriminated against course 2 students still didn’t ge Yuuji’s perception of him that much. His smile, charming as it was, still didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Yes. As Watanabe-senpai has surmised, Tatsuya has the ability to read activation sequences before they could even und deduce the spell with 100% accuracy. In fact, I, myself, am still learning to use such teiques myself from him. And in terms of bat, I attest to his skill as well.”

  “What…?”

  Yuuji g Tatsuya, and recalled all of the crazy things he does in the anime. And now, he also has an SSR that allowed him to, pretty much, be immortal in battle in addition to his ability to also instantly cast Self Restoration on himself.

  If he battled Tatsuya… He wouldn’t knoould e up on top. He would be able to resist Tatsuya’s greatest offensive on, his deposition, with his magic as well as fight him equally in physical bat with his [Krav Maga Proficy]. But even then, it would still be extremely difficult, given Tatsuya has much more actual bat experiehan him and more knowledge when it es to magi this world.

  He shrugged his shoulders and smiled wryly.

  “He’s a fearsome for real bat, Hattori-senpai. What I say.”

  “...”

  Upon hearing his words, Gyobu, Mari, and everyone iudent cil couldn’t hide their surprise. Yuuji was ranked sed amongst the freshmen, meaning he is one of the best first year students who entered First High School. That would mean… Tatsuya’s bat level was at least on par with him despite being a course 2 student.

  In trast to their shock, Miyuki was smiling proudly at her brother. She felt extremely happy that someone was able tnize her brreatness. It has always been unpleasant for her in this school since a lot of people looked down on her brother. But at least, those close to her and her brother dnize his greatness. For that, she was thankful.

  “A-Ahem… T-That is quite surprising… But, that isn’t the only reason why I want him in my ittee.”

  Mari cleared her throat, earning Gyobu’s attention back, and tinued.

  “Just as you say, there is aional chasm between Course 1 and Course 2 students in this school. The course 1 students police the course 2 students, but he other way around. This system only served to deepen that rift. And I do not particurly like the notion of allowing the ittee that I lead foster such a sense of discrimination.”

  Uo find words against Mari, Gyobu turowards Mayumi and asserted his point in frustration. .

  “President. As vice-president, I am against appointing Tatsuya Shiba to the Disciplinary ittee. A course 2 student g magical power is not suitable as a member of the Disciplinary ittee.”

  “Hah… It seems I have misjudged you more than I expected, Hattori-senpai…”

  “!! Tsubakihara-kun…!”

  Gyobu widened his eyes and turowards Yuuji, bzing in anger.

  “I first thought of you as a magi worthy of resped someone who thinks rationally and logically. In fact, when I didn’t see the disdain in your eyes before, I still thought that way. However, it seems like you are a hypocrite, tradig yourself by letting your prejudid pride cloud your judgment before even seeing his capabilities with your own eyes.”

  Gyobu’s fist ched tightly and pointed his fiowards Tatsuya.

  “If he does have the capabilities as you’ve said, then why is he a weed?! He should be able to enter as a course 1 student if he is as powerful as you suggest!”

  “The method of assessment only lets us see their capability as a magi in general. However, there is still more to enag disciplio viotors than simply ralizing threats in bat, am I right? As Watanabe-senpai has said herself, Tatsuya's ability to deduce spells simply from seeing a gnce of the activation sequence would allow the disciplinary ittee to enact disciplio viotors who they couldn’t bring justice upon before. Why are you so against having such a talent?”

  “Kuh…”

  Mayumi, Suzune, Azusa, and Mari wideheir eyes in shock as they watched Yuuji pletely decimating Gyobu in a war of words and logic.

  It was their first time ever seeing Gyobu reduced into such a state…

  Yuuji looked at Gyobu, who was now looking down at the floor with his fists ched tightly.

  By the looks of it, it seems like he’d still stubbornly g to his own pride and opinion if he didn’t get wrecked by Tatsuya.

  He gnced back towards his friends, and saw Aika smiling brightly in satisfa while Tatsuya and Miyuki smiled gratefully at him.

  He then lowered his head slightly with a helpless smile, direg it towards Tatsuya.

  I’m sorry, Tatsuya. But I don’t think he’ll ge his mind if you don’t wreck him pletely.

  And seemingly uanding his iion, Tatsuya smiled helplessly and him as well.

  “... It seems you still couldn’t accept the facts and bes of having Tatsuya ehe Disciplinary ittee Watanabe-senpai and I have id out for you because of your own sense of discrimination huh, senpai?”

  “...Tsubakihara-kun.”

  Gyobu raised his head slightly, his eyes gring at him.

  “A magi should always reize everything as it is, rationally and calmly. An aspiring magi ot allow his judgment to be clouded by ism and prejudice.”

  Gyobu flinched upon hearing those words from Yuuji. Those words that he believed from the depth of his heart… they were now pointed right back at him.

  “If you are still opposed to Tatsuya entering the Disciplinary ittee, then how about I suggest you see and experience his capabilities first hand and see if he is indeed capable of exeg his responsibilities as a member of the disciplinary ittee.”

  ““Eh?!””

  “Yuuji-kun, are you saying…”

  Yuuji turowards Mayumi with a smile and nodded.

  “Yes. How about we let Hattori-senpai face Tatsuya in a duel?”

  Mayumi, Mari, and the rest of the student cil members all gasped in shock at Yuuji’s proposition. Even Gyobu, who was ed in rage, widened his eyes in shock as he looked at Yuuji.

  “What do you think, Miyuki? Do you believe that your brother has the ability and skills to join the disciplinary ittee a disciplio viotors with force?”

  Snapped out by his words, Miyuki rongly.

  “Yes. I believe that my brother would be able to perform exceptionally as a member of the disciplinary ittee.”

  “...”

  Now shaking, Gyobu slowly raised his head towards Yuuji before shifting his gaze towards Tatsuya.

  “Fine. I’m going to show you just how much you o know your pce!”

  Faced by his iy, Tatsuya didn’t flind simply nodded.”

  “...Very well. I shall prove to you that my sister and my friends are not clouded in their judgment.”

  --------------------------------X--------------------------------

  Heading to the Third Practi where the duel would be held, Yuuji, Tatsuya, and the others walked silently through the hallway that had been tinted e-red from the light of the afternoon suering through the windows.

  Tatsuya seemed uurbed in the least, walking silently with a briefcase in his hand, taining his Silver Horn CAD.

  Miyuki gowards her brother with worry in her eyes. She was fident in her brother’s power that he would best Gyobu in this duel. But she was worried if he got mad at her for making him show off his power in front of a member of the ten master s, Mari, and the other remembers of the student cil.

  Yuuji, whose arm was hugged by Aika sihere was nobody else in this hallway, also looked at him apologetically. He tried talking to Gyobu and reasoned with him so Tatsuya won’t have to duel him in order for him to ehe Disciplinary ittee. He even tried to intimidate him a little to curb his hostility. But he was more stubborn thahought…

  “I’m sorry, Tatsuya… I tried to reason with him but…”

  “I-I apologize as well… I’ve caused trouble for you once again…”

  They all stopped as Tatsuya, who was leading the group at the front, halted and turned around.

  “There’s no reason for the two of you to apologize.”

  Tatsuya’s lips curved up into a small smile aed Miyuki’s head as tears began to accumute in her eyes.

  “I’ve told you on the day of the matricution ceremony, right? I’m always saved because you’re always getting angry in my pce, since I ’t get angry…”

  He then turowards Yuuji with the same smile.

  “And I know how hard you’ve tried to prevent this, and I am very grateful. So don’t apologize.”

  “Tatsuya…”

  Tatsuya turowards his sister and moved his hand from her head to her cheek, caressing it gently.

  “Don’t tell me you’re sorry. Isn’t there a more fitting phrase for this moment?”

  Miyuki wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.

  “Yes… Good luck, and do your best.”

  “Mm. Beat him up, Tatsuya.”

  “That’s right! I ’t wait to see his stupid face of shock when you beat him~!”

  “Ah. I’ll do my best.”

  They all resumed making their way to the Third Practi.

  Upoering, everyone was already present and waiting. Suzune, Mayumi, and Azusa were standing on the sides he wall, while Mari stood at the ter with Gyobu a few distance away to one side.

  Tatsuya quickly made his preparations, loading his Silver Hun and stepped to the other side while Miyuki, Yuuji, and Aika joined Mayumi and the others at the side.

  Upon seeing Tatsuya putting one of the many ste devices he brought in his briefcase into his gun-shaped CAD, Mari couldn’t help but ask.

  “Do you always carry around multiple ste devices?”

  “Yes. After all, I don’t have suffit processing skills to master a general CAD.”

  Tatsuya shifted his gaze from Mari tyobu, who snorted quietly upon hearing his words and readied his right hand on the bracelet type CAD on his left wrist.

  “Yuuji-kun.”

  “Yes, Ichihara-senpai?”

  “I’m aware that you are rooting for Shiba-kun. But objectively speaking, Vice President Hattori is one of the best students in this school when it es to magic duels. Even a course 1 student would find it extremely difficult to best him in one.”

  “I uand what you are trying to say, Ichihara-senpai. And in truth, I know that a regur course 2 student won’t be able to best Hattori-senpai in a straight magic duel. However…”

  Suzune gowards Yuuji and saw his face, filled with fidence.

  “Hattori-senpai is currently not cautious enough. He’s pletely fident in his victory, rightfully so. That is why Tatsuya will win.”

  “Eh?”

  “After all, bat prowess is not synonymous with magic power.”

  “...”

  Suzune looked at him silently, her eyes filled with doubt and fusion.

  “Well, let’s just watch, Ichihara-senpai. I don’t want to spoil it, after all.”

  “...I uand.”

  Mari stepped forward and looked at the two partits.

  “I’m going to expin the rules now. Spells that proves fatal, as well as those that cause your oppo irreparable damage are forbidden. Direct attacks should never cause your oppos any more than a sprain. ons are prohibited. Bare-hatacks are permitted. The winner will be decred either when one party aowledges defeat, or when the referee determihat one party is uo tinue. I shall be using sheer force myself to deal with any infras to the rules, so be prepared. That’s it.”

  Silence fell upon the room as the temosphere began to fill it to the brim. The spectators held their breath, bated in anticipation, except for Aika and Yuuji who already khe result.

  “Are you ready? Begin!”

  Gyobu raised his left hand towards Yuuji and activated his CAD. But in that instant, Tatsuya’s figure suddenly blurred as he charged towards him. Then in the , a sensation of immense nausea and headache hit him.

  He fell limp, but before he hit the ground, Yuuji suddenly appeared before the fallen vice president and caught him.

  Then with a charming smile, he turowards the wide-eyed Mari.

  “I believe the match has ended. May I bring Vice President Hattori to rest on the side?”

  “A-Ahhh…”

  Yuuji lifted Gyobu up like a sack of potatoes over his shoulders with ease and walked back to where he stood before and pced him dowing his body lean back against the wall.

  Mari and the others all stared at the unscious Gyobu, befuddled. Then, she turowards Tatsuya, alking back to the desk a few distance away where he put his briefcase.

  “Wait. That move you made… Did you deploy a self-acceleration spell in advance?”

  “That wasn’t magic… It urely a physical teique.”

  “My brother practiinjitsu. He is receiving training from Kokonoe Yakumo-sensei.”

  Miyuki stepped forward and expined

  “That Kokonoe-sehen…”

  Mari then turowards Yuuji, who had just finished ying Gyobu down and making sure he’s okay.

  “Does Tsubakihara-kun receive training from him as well?”

  His movement from before when he caught the falling Gyobu before he hit the floor. They were extremely quick, just like Tatsuya’s movement. He must have also received training from the master ninjutsu user, Mari thought.

  “Ah, no I’m not. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Kokonoe-sensei. I’ve only heard about him from Tatsuya and Miyuki.”

  “Then… That movement… Did you cast a self-accelerating spell?”

  “I did not. I’m practig aype of martial arts that allows me to move in such a manner.”

  In truth, Krav Maga, the martial art he’s profit in, didn’t have any teiques that allowed him to move that quickly. Usuya, who was using a teique, Yuuji’s lightning speed inated purely from his physique. He found out he could move that quickly during the basketball match he had a few days ago.

  “I see… May I ask what it is?”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you would reize it…”

  Yuuji smiled apologetically. If he told her that it’s Krav Maga, then his bullshit about his speed inating from the martial arts he’s learning would be found out.

  “...Fine.”

  Mari nodded uandingly and turned her attention towards Tatsuya again. She k’d be rude to inquire further about someone’s source of strength.

  “Was that spell you used in that attack also ninjutsu then, Tatsuya-kun? It only looked as if you released psion waves to me…”

  Mayumi tilted her head fusedly.

  “That is correct. That was an Essential Singurity-type spell, and all I did was gee Psion waves.”

  “Even so, that doesn’t expin why Hanzo-kun got knocked out.”

  “He is wasted.”

  “Wasted? On what exactly?”

  “Magis perceive Psions just as they do visible light and sound waves. Thus, when a magi is exposed to ued Psions, he will halluate that his body is shaken. It is this illusion that brought on something akin to a violent bout of seasiess.”

  “Such a powerful surge as that… how oh did you…?”“pound waves, right?”

  Suzune suddenly said after thinking and trying to deduce what just happened.

  “You created three secutive Psion waves of varying osciltion frequencies, calibrated them so that all three would verge where Hattori-kun was standing, which would then gee a powerful surge, like a triangur wave.”

  “Very impressive, Ichihara-senpai.”

  Suzune looked down to her tablet once again in ption.

  “Still, how were you able to pull that off in such a short time? With that kind of processing speed, I don’t see how your teical scores could be so low.”Yuuji simply smiled, not answering her question. And just then, Azusa suddenly appeared right beside him. Her eyes glimmered brightly as she focused on Tatsuya’s Silver Horn.

  “Uhm… By any ce, could your CAD be a Silver Horn?”“Silver Horn? As in Taurus Silver, the mysterious genius magigineer?”

  Mayumi asked wly upon hearing the familiar name.

  “That’s right! A specialist in Four Leaf Teology, the miraculous CAD engineer whose real name, appearance, and profile are all shrouded in mystery! The programming genius who was the first to implement the Loop Cast System!!!”

  Azusa said in aed manner Yuuji, Aika, Tatsuya, and Mayumi never seen before, except in the anime.

  “Silver Horn is the name of the specialized CAD model fully ized by Taurus Silver himself, and it’s optimized for Loop Casting!”

  “But Rin-, that doesn’t add up, does it?”

  Mayumi turowards Suzune.

  “Yes, it doesn't add up. The purpose of Loop Cast is to unch secutive invocations of the exact same spell. It is not possible for it to create multiple surges of varying osciltions. I suppose it is feasible if the osciltions are defined as variables, but to set the osciltions as one more variable along with the coordinate, iy, and duration… Could it be, that’s exactly what you’ve pulled off here?”Suzune looked at Tatsuya with eyes wide.

  “At this sultivariables aren’t subject to evaluations unlike processing speed, calcution scale, and interfereensity, after all…”

  “In the practical exams, magic skill scores are determined by Spell Invocation speed, scale of magic sequence, and Target Data rewriting strength.”

  Hanzo slowly got up, still a bit unstable, as he clutched his pounding head.

  “I see, so that’s what happens whes don’t reflect your true abilities.”

  Just then, Yuuji put Hanzou’s arm around his shoulder and helped him up.

  “Please don’t rise too quickly. Take your time.”

  Hanzo’s eyes widened in shock when Yuuji suddenly helped him up. Not to mention, his tone, which was normally cold and calcuted whenever he spoke to him, had a kind ale tone unlike anything he had ever heard. Just from his voice alone, Hanzou could tell that Yuuji didn’t mean to rub his defeat on his face, but to truly help him up.

  “...Thank you, Tsubakihara-kun.”

  With the help of Yuuji, Hanzo slowly stood up on his feet a go of him.

  Theurowards Miyuki and slightly lowered his head.

  “Shiba-san.”

  “Yes?”“What I said before… was truly rude of me. I was the one whose judgment was clouded. I hope you will five me.”

  Miyuki smiled and simirly lowered her head and bowed gracefully.

  “I am the one who was out of line. Please five me.”

  “I would like to apologize as well for speaking out of line and in such a rude manner as well, Hattori-senpai. I hope that we will be able to recile and wash this matter uhe bridge.”

  Gyobu widened his eyes slightly as he watched Yuuji lowered his head and bowed towards him.

  But as the disagreement had been resolved, he lowered his head to him as well.

  “Likewise.”

  Hanzou ten gowards Tatsuya, lowered his head slightly without a word, and walked away, exiting the third practi.

  Silence filled the room for a few moments as Mari and Mayumi smiled helplessly at the awkward boy and watched him slowly exit the third practi.

  “Alright, we did get wayid uedly, but how about we get ba trad head to the Disciplinary ittee Headquarters?

  AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please ent your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!!

  Also, if you'd like to read additional chapters ahead a a pdf version (Light & Dark), please feel free to chey at patreon./vergsx ~!!