August 3rd 2095 / Nine Schools petition Venue.

  "At st, the time has e to opeional Magic Highschool Goodwill Tour of Magic Skills, better known as the Nine Schools petition. This year's tour will follow the usual format with five days each of official matches and rookie petitions, for a total of ten days.

  This year, all eyes will be on First High School. Will they get their third straight title, or will Third High School break that streak?"

  On a clear, sunny day, the opening ceremony of the National Magic Highschool Goodwill Tour of Magic Skills was held within the main stadium. All partits, both athletes and engineers, from all nine schools had lined up side by side as the opening ceremony was held.

  Immediately after the opening ceremony, the qualifier for the Women’s Battle Board was held itle Board Qualifying Venue.

  Battle board, also referred to as “Surfing”, also referred to as "Surfing", is a game that inated as a method for training naval forces.

  Pyers receive a board simir to a surfing board and must plete three ps on an artificial el 3 km ih by making full use of magic to propel them fainst the backwards flow of the water.

  Use of magic to directly interfere or target other petitors is forbidden. However, i interference, such as casting a spell onto the surface of the water, is allowed.

  The Preliminaries sist of six races, four pyers each. Two Semi-Finals games are held with three testants each. A pyoff is held to determihird pce, while the top Pyers from each Semi-finals race will pete one-on-one in the finals.

  Tatsuya, Miyuki, Mikihiko, Leon, Honoka, Shizuku, Aika, Erika, and Mizuki came to watch the qualifiers match where Watanabe Mari will be peting itle Board petition.

  Despite the clear sunny day with little to no clouds shading them from the sun, many students from all nine schools came to wate of the first petitions to be held on the first day of this extremely prestigious and petitive eveween the nine magic schools of Japan. Thus, they had to split the group into two; Tatsuya, Miyuki, Mikihiko, and Leon had to sit on the front row, while Honoka, Shizuku, Aika, Erika, and Mizuki sat on the row behind them.

  "Honoka, how are you doing, physically?"

  Tatsuya looked back towards Honoka, asking for her dition. As her engiatsuya was also ed with her training and physical dition. He wao make sure she hysically healthy and at peak dition, ready for her events.

  "I'm fine. I've been training to build up my stamina, and I've also beeing more sleep."

  "Uhn~ Honoka's been taking care of body and especially her skin veeeeery closely retly~ I wonder if it's only for the petition~"

  Aika leaned forward, turo Honoka with a teasing grin, and she immediately blush red to her ears. Even without having to explicitly say it, there was only ohing in Honoka’s mind about what she could be referring to.

  "A-Aika-! I-I was just taking care of my p-physical dition for the petition!"

  "Fufu~ Is that so~? Buuuuut, I noticed you putting on body lotion and cream on your skily~ Is it really not because you want to look good in front of a certain someone~?”

  "G-Geez, what are you saying, Aika-!!!"

  "Speaking of whom, where is Yuuji? I haven't seen him sihis m."

  From the front row, sitting beside Tatsuya, Leo turned back towards Aika and asked. If it was about Yuuji, Leo khat Aika would be the oo know the most.

  And as he expected, Aika immediately answered and pointed a finger into the distance.

  "He's there~! Look~"

  "Hm?"

  Leo, Mikihiko, and the rest of the group turheir gazes towards the dire Aika ointing at and saw a rge crowd of female students from various schools gathering in a specific area of the spectators' seats.

  The entire venue was filled with studeed for the petition. But this particur area was burning with excitement as girls tried to fit themselves into seats that were fewer than them.

  And when they looked closer, right below was the First High School's bench, where their engineers and staff in charge of Watanabe Mari, who will be peting in the Women's Battle Board event, were staying in.

  At the ter of it, they could see Yuuji's figure looking off to the starting line, where the four partits, including Mari, were getting ready on their surfboard. He was holding a tablet in his left hand and wearing an earpie his right ear.

  On a while, he'll tap his earpied begin speaking to it while tapping oablet in his hand. And as he did, the sound of female squeals and shrieks would always apany his every movement.

  "Fufufu~ He must be feeling suuuuuper awkward now~"

  Aika said with a giggle, enjoying the spectacle of her sexy boyfrieing so much more attention that he’s fortable with. Oher hand, Erika let out a sigh and shook her head tiredly while Mizuki ughed weakly.

  "D-Damn... I know he's super popur, but this is the first time I've seen this kind of crowd gathering around him."

  Leo said, amazed by the sheer popurity he had garnered in just a few days.

  "U-Uhn, I saw him being surrounded by girls during the ba, but it was still nothing pared to this."

  Mikihiko, who was seated to Leo’s left, added.

  "By the way, what is he doing there? He's not Watanabe Mari-senpai's engineer, right?"

  Leo asked.

  "He's giveask to help the chairwoman in anizing the security details of our school's athletes and engineers~! So since Mari-senpai is peting, he's got full trol of the security details that had beeo our school by the anizer~"

  "Eh? Really? But why? He's an athlete, right? Why is he the one doing that?"

  Mikihiko turned his head back towards Aika in astonishment and fusion. Not only was he an athlete, he was also just a first-year student. Why was he in charge of the security details of the school’s athletes?

  "Mm, maybe because Mari-senpai trusts him and his ability the most~!"

  "I see... That makes sense..."

  Mikihiko slowly turned his gaze back towards Yuuji, who still seemed to be talking with someohrough his earpiece, and looked at him with amazement.

  It might be due to his extremely handsome appearance, but he looked extremely reliable and galnt by just standing there now that he knew what responsibilities he had. Even he was dazed momentarily by his appearanbsp;

  Meanwhile, Tatsuya was also staring at him as well, just like Honoka, Shizuku, and Mizuki. But instead of having an infatuated gaze like them, he was looking at him solemnly for a moment.

  Then, he swept his gaze across the entire venue and used dhis Elemental Sight for a moment. Fortunately, he didn’t find anything suspicious as of yet.

  "Onii-sama, is something wrong?"

  "No. It's nothing. Don't worry."

  Meanwhile, standing at the ter of the crowd of girls’ attention, Yuuji let out a sigh inwardly after returning to the awkward reality after his unication with the leader of the security team lent to First Highschool for the duration of the petition ended.

  He locked his tablet, held it to his side, and turned his gaze back towards the starting line as he reflected on his most ret versation.

  Despite being a first year high school student, the person in charge for his school’s security was surprisingly easy to talk to and en t with him. He even accepted suggestions and ges Yuuji made to trate more security personnels ohat would be tampered with from the anime.

  I’ll have to thank Juumonji-senpai, Mayumi-senpai, and Mari-senpai for this… They must’ve given a word in for me…

  That was the only expnation he could think of. The words from members of the ten master s and aablished magi lent his words more weight, giving Yuuji an easier time to mahe security detail in pari.

  And while he had bee even busier with this in addition to his ows and calibrating Aika and his own CADs for their events, he was able to be in the midst of things and have some sort of justification and authority to step in when something happens.

  Nothing should g yet at this point, but I still o be alert. I 't know for sure they won't try anything different if they notice the ges in the security details.

  “Wele to the Official Women’s Battle Board event. The third match of the trials will begin shortly. Athletes, please take your positions.”

  The venue began to be filled with cheers as the event was starting. All of the students cpped their hands and shouted to support and ence the representative of their school.

  “First High School, third year, Ms. Watanabe Mari.”

  Immediately, female fans of Watanabe Mari shrieked in delight as the announcer introduced First High’s representative. With her cool demeanor and appeara was easy to see why she would be popur with girls, Yuuji thought.

  And after all four partits were introduced, a tdown for the race started.

  A loud horn bred as three red lights lined up in a row shined and dimmed one by one in order frht to left. And the moment the light turned green, Mari and the other three partits unched in a tremendous burst of speed.

  The athlete from the Fourth Highschool cast a spell that caused a massive explosion behind all of them, causing the water surface to undute greatly to try and throw off other testants.

  But Mari, ued by the spell, simply gaihe lead as the other partits tried tain their banbsp;

  Mari looked back for a moment, and saw the other three partits already started tain their band went bato the game.

  So to keep her lead, she cast multiple spells and gained even more speed as she turhe er.

  Applying fortifying magic while multi-casting movement magic… As expected of the chairwoman…

  Fortifying magic wasn't magic that strengthened an object. It was more specifically strengthening the retive position of the molecules in an object, thus making it stronger.

  Mari was fortifying and anch her retive position to her surfboard to keep her from falling, allowio cast movement magi herself and the board as a siity without needing to fear falling off.

  Moreover, she was also applying Vibration Magipen the shaking of the board…

  Yuuji couldn’t help but be impressed at her skill. She was multicasting four different types of magitinuously while rag.

  Well… I guess I’ll look like I’m copying her when I race…

  Yuuji sighed inwardly…

  His pn was to use fortifying magic as well to anchor his retive position to the board, and use his “gravity” magic to stretch the fabric of space around him in a wave to tract the spa front of him and expand the space behind him, pushing him forward.

  He got the idea from one of the most popur faster than light travel methods he came across in the past. Though of course, he won’t be going faster than light. He’ll just do it enough to make him win.

  And, he could simply disguise it as using wind and movement magic to propel him forward, which was quite simple.

  As he mused, the bring sound of a horn signaling the end of the race resounded. And as he expected, Mari won vingly.

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

  In front of a hotel room.

  Tatsuya, Yuuji, and Aika stood as the soldier esc them to the room knocked on the door and annouheir presenbsp;

  And soon after, the familiar voice of a middle-aged man resounded from within.

  The three entered and saluted towards the people ihe room before standing at rest.

  ““Please excuse us.””

  Within the room, five members of the 101 Indepe Magic-Equipped Battalion had gathered.

  Major Kazama Harunobu, the anding officer.

  Captain Yanagi Muraji.

  Captain Sanada Shigeru.

  Major Yamanaka Kousuke.

  And stly, the beautiful first lieutenant Fujibayashi Kyouko.

  And with their presence, all members of the battalion were now present.

  “There you are. Well, have a seat.”

  “No, I am fine right here.”

  Tatsuya answered, keeping his eyes forward and keeping his soldier’s mannerism before a superior, while Yuuji and Aika smiled helplessly.

  “Tatsuya-kun, we didn’t call the three of you here today as Strategic-css Magis, Special Officers Ryuuya Ooguro, Akatsuki Shin, and Tsukino Miko. We invited you as our friends, Shiba Tatsuya, Tsubakihara Yuuji, and Kiryuu Aika. If you stand on ceremony with us, we would be troubled.”

  “Captain Sanada…”

  Tatsuya g Yuuji and Aika by his side. And after seeing the two nod, he nodded back.

  “I uand. Then please excuse me.”

  The three then took their seats. Yuuji sat to the Major’s right, Aika, then Tatsuya who sat on Sanada’s Left.

  “I’m gd to see all three of you fine and well. Especially the two of you, Yuuji-kun, Tatsuya-kun.”

  “Thank you very much for your , Major.”

  “Thank you very much.”

  “You did well handling those intruders. Especially you, Yuuji-kun. I have to say, I’m quite surprised when I got the report from Yanagi about your enter.”

  “Ahahaha, I just got a bit unlucky to meet them during my experiment with my new magid if it wasn’t for Captain Yanagi’s timely arrival, I would’ve been troubled by the disposal of evidence.”

  Yuuji smiled and bowed towards Yanagi, who was sitting opposite of him.

  “I did nothing. Just stop being humble for a moment and take the praise.”

  Yanagi smirked, making him smile helplessly.

  “Thank you very much.”

  “Being humble is good, but doing it too often would only trouble the other side, Yuuji-kun. You o stop with that bad habit, and also…”

  Sanada’s words dwio a halt. And for a moment his eyes widened, before he begaing his gaze away from Yuuji.

  Captain Yanagi and Major Yamanaka Kousuke, the rge, burly man sitting on Kazama’s left side, also averted their gaze away, while Major Kazama awkwardly sipped his tea.

  Seeing their weird reas, Yuuji tilted his head fusedly at first, before feeling shivers down his spihe moment he finally sensed a familiar presence behind him.

  “Ufufufu~ It seems like you are still as reckless as ever huh, Yuuji…?”

  Even though he had never actually “heard” it before, Yuuji couldn’t mistake this voice for anyone else. He k, intimately, from the memories given by the MCG. It was the voice of his “Older sister” italion who he and Aika had been in the care of when she set.

  In his predit, Aika giggled mischievously and Tatsuya simply let out a sigh a his silenstead of helping him. And with the rest of the people here feigning ignorance, Yuuji tried to face his fears.

  “F-F-Fujibayashi-”

  He slowly turned his head towards her, but before he could, a finger poked his right cheek.

  “I told you to not be that reckless right…? Or did you… Fet?”

  “N-N-No… O-Of course not!”

  Yuuji shook his head rapidly as he replied with a loud voice. His back straightened, even more than when he was saluting, as he kept his gaze forward.

  “Mm, of course you wouldn’t, right? I’ve told you pleeeeenty of times before, after all… So? Why did you take on ten armed men alone?”

  “T-T-That’s…”

  “...Please just give him some sck, Fujibayashi. He’s strong enough to take care of himself. He also has a brand new magic that makes him untraceable even to me.”

  Yanagi Muraji said.

  “That’s right. He’s already a man who knows how to take care of himself. And even if he’s somehow injured, he has Aika right by his side.”

  Sanada Shigeru added. But instead of pg her, Kyoko huffed and gred at the two.

  “This is why he’s doing more and more reckless things. It’s because both of you are enabling it.”

  “Now now. Please leave it at that, Sed Lieutenant Fujibayashi. I’m sure Tsubakihara-kun has taken your words to heart. And the reason why he still decided to front the hostiles was because he has that invisibility magic, right?”

  Major Kazama waved his hand and turowards Yuuji, who o his words.

  “Hah… I uand.”

  She sighed and acquiesced to the Major’s words before he raised his cup of tea.

  “How about a toast? For the reunion of the 101 Indepe Magic-equipped Battalion.”

  Everyone raised their cup and cheered together.

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

  “About st night’s i, there’s no question that those intruders are with the No-Head Dragons, which I mentioo you the other day.”

  Kazama started and Yuuji turo him with a look of on his face.

  “So they are targeting the Nine Schools’ petition, as we suspected.”

  “That is still under iigation. I’ll let the three of you know when we find out.”

  “Please do.”

  “Yuuji-kun, you seemed to be certain that they’re targeting the NSC. You even got trol over the security details assigo your school. ”

  Sanada ented, his words earning the i of everyone aside from Tatsuya and Aika. They all wondered why he would be so sure.

  Yuuji turowards the brown-haired man and replied.

  “With the i on the highway and st night’s i, I couldn’t help but be paranoid over it, Captain Sanada. And it is always better to be safe than sorry.”

  Sanada nodded with a smile and picked up his cup of tea.

  “That I agree. But still, we’re amazed that you mao gain trol over it. You even reassigned some guards to various locations.”

  Captain Yanagi said, earning the nods of Kyoko, Kousuke, and Sanada.

  “It is thanks to Juumonji Katsuto-senpai, Saegusa Mayumi-senpai, and Watanabe Mari-senpai’s words of assurahat they listened. In truth, I was also quite surprised.”

  “Hm, so you told members of the ten master s, huh?”

  “Yes. In order to ehe safety of the students, I judged I would heir power and influence.

  Kazama o Yuuji’s words.

  “Mm. That is fine. As long as this is kept uight s, it’ll be fio have them protect the students.”

  “Yes, Major.”

  Kazama took a sip of his tea and turo the three once again.

  “On a lighter note. How are the three of you doing regarding the petition?”

  “I am doing well, Major. I’ve prepared plenty for my Battle Board and Monolith Code events.”

  “Hehehe~ I’m doing great, Major~ Especially since I have Yuuji to take care of my CAD~ Right, Yuuji~?”

  “Yes… I’m also doh Aika’s CAD for her Mirage Bat and Pilrs Break events.”

  The major let out a small ugh and smiled at Aika, looking at her helplessly like a father looking at their daughter.

  “I see.”

  “What about you, Tatsuya-kun? Will you be joining as? I would love to see you and Yuuji-kun f a team for the Monolith Code event.”

  “That would just be unfair to the other team, Sanada. The Crimson Prind Cardinal Gee wouldn’t even stand a ce against Yuuji alone even if he didn’t use his “Gravity”. If Tatsuya were to join, it wouldn’t be a petition.”

  “But wouldn’t you want to see the two in a once again, Yanagi? I think it’d be a spectacle to see. And if they could somehow add Aika-kun as their third…”

  Sanada smiled and began nodding to himself, w what kind of spectacle he’d be able to see if these three were to truly join hands in that petition.

  “Captain Sanada, we’re not going to war… It’s just a petitioween schools. How could you have these three destroy other petitors?”

  Kyouko sighed and turowards the three.

  “I’ll be looking forward to all of your petitions. Do your best, okay?”

  “Uhn~ Thank you, Kyouko-nee~”

  “I will do my best, Fujibayashi-san.”

  “I will do my best as well.”

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

  National Magic High School Goodwill Magic Game ventio Speed shooting is a petition where cy targets are shot into a designated spad destroyed by magie-hundred red and white targets are released and pyers pete by destroying their colored targets.

  This m, the Elfin Sniper and favorite, Saegusa Mayumi, from First Highschool would be peting against Matoba Keiko from Fifth Highschool.

  And just like with Mari’s battle board event, Yuuji was also standing in the bench along with Mayumi’s engineer, Izumi Rika, to protect the engineers, staff, and Mayumi herself while she was peting.

  At least… That’s eople think he was doing.

  In truth, Yuuji doesn’t have to be here personally. He had assigned more than enough guards for Izumi Rika and Saegusa Mayumi as well as their school’s bench for this event so he could watch it with his friends.

  And utle Board or Monolith Code, which were quite act prohe Speed Shooti was a retively safe event. petitors would simply o shoot down cy targets from a distand pete for points.

  But Mari told him to stay here regardless. And when he asked for her reason, Mari sighed and told her that Mayumi was sulking, saying how unfair it is for Yuuji to be in her bench while she was peting but not hers.

  So… he had no choice but to be here, monitor the security details, and stand awkwardly.

  And to make things worse, the person standing beside him, Izumi Risa, was also not much of a talker.

  He was introduced to her by Mayumi so they were not plete strangers. But wheried talking to her once, she’d simply reply with a few words and the versation ended…

  Ah… The awkwardness is killing me…

  He sighed inwardly, and just as he was about to scroll through his tablet again, a loud cheer erupted from the audience as Mayumi in her petition outfit, plete with a pair of eye prote gsses and noise redu ear muffs, ehe venue.

  She stood there in silence, dignified, and the air around her was unlike anything Yuuji had ever seen before. She was normally rexed and cheerful, and sometimes, she had a dignified air around her like when she was giving a speech. But this time, she had an air arouhat would make aurn silent as she was in a state of hyper focus.

  She walked up to the podium along with her petitor and raised her rifle-shaped CAD as the tdown for the petition started.

  And the moment the green light shined and the horn bred, Mayumi immediately shot down every single red cy target that was shot out into the air.

  “...”

  Owo… five… ten… fourteen…

  Without missing a single one, Mayumi tio destroy every single red cy target the moment it was shot out with every pull of the trigger while her oppo struggled.

  And from the very start of the match, the space before them were mostly filled with white cy targets that her oppo failed to shoot down.

  “Der Freischütz”... So this is why she’s called the Elfin Sniper…

  Yuuji watched her performance closely in awe and admiration

  Her incredibly accurate shooting skills and finesse trol of her magic that would allow her to shoot down these cy targets in such quick succession was nothing short of incredible. In addition to her beauty, it wasn’t difficult to see why she would be pared to a mythical, female, elven archer.

  It’s even more amazing seeing it in real life than in the anime…

  But as he was admiring Mayumi in all her splendor, a voice from his side snapped him out of his daze.

  “...What is your retionship with Saegusa?”

  Yuuji turowards the silent and stoic girl beside him in surprise. He didn’t expect her to start a versation…

  And even more surprising to him, she was asking him about his retionship with Mayumi.

  He looked at her speechless for a moment.

  If any irls were to ask this questiht now, he would’ve immediately thought they wao gossip. But he khat Izumi Risa wasn’t the kind of girl who would do that.

  From the little time they spent together and from the trust Mayumi had shown to have for her, the bck-haired girl was reserved, straightforward, and didn’t care for things like gossip and rumors. Moreover, as he had experienced first hand, she never cared much for versation.

  So the only reason why she would ask this question was because she truly cared for Mayumi that she would go out of her way to ask him this.

  Izumi moved her head slightly and g him from the er of her eyes. And seeing the seriousness in them, Yuuji decided to be truthful.

  “She is an incredible student cil president, a reliable uppercssmen, a nice friend, and an amazing woman.”

  “...I see. So you look up to her?”

  “I do. Who wouldn’t?”

  “...I guess they would.”

  Yuuji’s lips curled into a smile and turned his gaze back at Mayumi, who was still peting.

  “But that’s not all. After having the privilege of knowing her a bit more, I found that she also has a clumsy side to her, even a mischievous one-”

  “She does.”

  His eyes turowards her in surprise and began to giggle as Izumi tried her best to keep her stoneface before him.

  “Ahahaha! So you’ve experie as well, senpai?”

  She sighed tiredly and held a hand to her forehead.

  “What do you think? I’ve been her engineer in these petitions and her friend for longer. It’s impossible for me to be spared from her teasing.”

  “I guess so. But I think that is also one of her many charms.”

  Yuuji leaned forward towards her slightly, surprising Izumi for a moment, before whispering to her.

  “And if you tease her back, she’ll show you some extremely cute expression. You should try it, senpai.”

  Her eyes wide the ued words from the famous prince of First High, who was known to be mature and a gentleman. Not to mention, he was also showing a mischievous expression just like a child.

  And for a moment, his figure overpped with Mayumi’s mischievous figure in her mind.

  A snort escaped her lips as a small, rare smile found its way to her face.

  “Heh, alright. I’ll see to it. I wonder if I could tease her using you.”

  “Eh? Uhm… Please don’t drag me into this. If Saegusa-senpai were to know you started teasing her because of me, she’ll…”

  “I’ll be there to watch you get punished by her. Don’t worry.”

  “What kind of sotion is that?!”

  In that moment, the horn signaling the end of the match bred throughout the venue. And when they looked at the score, they saw Mayumi pletely obliterating her oppo with a perfect score.

  “Alright. The result is as expected. Well then, I shall be going to prepare for her match. Yuuji-kun, please stay here and wele her back.”

  “E-Eh? I-I uand.”

  Izumi turned her heels and began walking bato the building to prepare for Mayumi’s petition, leaving Yuuji by himself to wele her back from her match.

  And a few moments ter, her lips curled into a smile when she heard Mayumi’s squeal of delight and ughter.

  She turned her head around slightly, gng back, and saw Mayumi giggling and smiling brightly before Yuuji.

  “She’s ag even more like a kid around him…”

  Izumi shook her head with a small helpless smile, and tinued walking away.

  AN: Just a little something~ Akatsuki Shin means the Dawn of Truth (Akatsuki = Dawn, Shin = Truth) while Tsukino Miko means Priestess of the Moon (Tsuki = Moon, No = of, Miko = Priestess). Just making their aliases in the military cool~

  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 patr.eon./vergsx ~!!